Title
CARBON TAX VS CAP-AND-TRADE
The Community Services Committee met and discussed the following motion:
WHEREAS the Province of Ontario developed a plan to fight climate change and meet emission reduction targets through a Cap and Trade program effective January 1, 2017;
AND WHEREAS Cap and Trade applies to domestic industries resulting in little reduction of carbon emissions by omitting individual Canadians even though they are the larger emitters;
AND WHEREAS Cap and Trade and Carbon Tax impose costs on industries, only the latter can be rebated when the goods are exported;
AND WHEREAS Cap and Trade cannot be imposed on imported goods, a Carbon Tax can be, ensuring domestic manufacturers cannot easily avoid reducing carbon emissions by moving their manufacturing offshore;
AND WHEREAS pricing carbon emissions through a Carbon Tax is a powerful tool, offering visible and viable incentives that governments can easily encourage, that may result in a larger impact on all industries, companies and households to reduce carbon emissions;
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED:
1. That correspondence be sent to the Federal and Provincial governments encouraging them to work together to consider a country-wide Carbon Tax to reduce global carbon emissions.
2. That a copy of the correspondence be sent to the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, John Brassard, Member of Parliament for Barrie - Innisfil, Alex Nuttall, Member of Parliament for Barrie - Springwater - Oro-Medonte, Ann Hoggarth, Member of Provincial Parliament for Barrie and surrounding Ontario Municipalities.
No further action was taken.