Ontario’s NDP is proposing to establish a new cap-and-trade system for emissions reductions in the province if they are elected this week.
The NDP, Liberals and Greens all pledge to cut emissions in half by 2030 below 2005 levels, but only the New Democrats are promising a new cap-and-trade system to achieve those reductions.
The systems put caps on the amount of pollution companies in certain industries can emit and if they exceed those limits they must buy an equal number of allowances.
The former Liberal government entered Ontario into a cap-and-trade system with California and Quebec, but the Progressive Conservatives withdrew the province from it after they were elected in 2018.
In this election, the Liberals are not proposing to re-establish a cap-and-trade system, rather their environmental platform proposes to strengthen requirements on large industrial emitters.
When asked about his emissions reductions plan today, PC Leader Doug Ford touted electric vehicle manufacturing and making steel production greener.
Want to hear more about the Ontario election from our journalists? Subscribe to Vote of Confidence, a twice-weekly newsletter dedicated to the key issues in this campaign, landing in your inbox starting May 17 until election day on June 2.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.