In April, I participated in hearings to assess the Conservative government’s progress in implementing its climate action plan. I left feeling betrayed, and undeterred.
This is how bad the Conservatives are failing on the climate file.
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We’re not meeting our targets.
In her 2025 report, Ontario’s Auditor General, Shelley Spence, concluded the government is on track to reduce its emissions by 22% below 2005 levels by 2030, well below the 30% goal.
In committee, officials from the government boasted about this 22% reduction, but they were taking credit for something they didn’t do.
Ontario’s emissions reductions are largely because Ontario closed its’ coal plants in 2014. Since the Conservatives came to power, emission reductions have stalled in the building and agriculture sectors, and are rising in transportation, electricity, and industry.
The Premier has made a career of hating the environment. With his “axe the tax” mantra, he hammered for years on the misleading message that a carbon tax is why everything is so expensive.
From ending the cap-and-trade program, to cancelling wind energy contracts, to rewriting Ontario’s planning rules to allow carbon-intensive low-density sprawl, the Conservatives have been committed in gutting environmental protections.
I’m most alarmed by the Conservative’s move to keep Ontario hooked on gas. Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is favoring gas plant applications over more competitive renewable energy generation, and Enbridge is now allowed to bill existing ratepayers for connecting new homes to gas, even when cheaper options exist.
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The plan is sloppy and secretive.
The Auditor General found the government made gross mistakes on its climate plan, like double counting emissions reductions or including the benefit of the federal carbon tax even after it had been repealed.
When questioned about these gross inaccuracies, officials said they’re using best practices, but we can’t verify if that’s true or not because the government is refusing to release any updates to its original flawed climate plan.
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After 2030, we are flying in the dark.
Officials in the hearing confirmed the government, after 2030, the government will have no public targets, plan, or tracking.
Ministry officials defended their abandonment of a climate plan by saying they’re still committed to reducing emissions but with all the economic uncertainty they need to remain agile and adaptable.
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There is no comprehensive adaptation plan.
Experts have been warning governments to get ready for extended and extreme hot weather, dangerous wildfires that threaten towns and cities, intense rainfall and flooding, threats to Ontario’s farming and food supply, and increased pressure on our emergency responders and hospitals.
Reducing emissions and preparing for a hotter and more extreme climate is the only morally, socially, and economically sound decision because the consequence of ignoring reality is just downright terrible on all the benchmarks that matter: standard of living, mortality, GDP.
The devastating 2025 fire in the Los Angeles area is one example of a natural disaster that could hit Toronto. The LA fire burned for three weeks, entire neighbourhoods were razed, and it cost the economy over $70B.
A city and state investigation confirmed that the city wasn’t ready for climate-fueled extreme wildfire. The winds were so extreme that planes could not fly. The emergency systems were outdated. There weren’t enough fire fighters. A post-mortem study is no comfort to the 18,000 people who lost their homes.
An NDP government would fully accept the Auditor General’s recommendations to develop, publish, implement and track a sound climate action to reduce our emissions, along with a comprehensive plan to ready our towns, cities, key economic sectors, health care system, and more.
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The solutions are all around us.
Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Norway, are either carbon-negative or very close. Cities like Paris and New York executing plans to prepare for extreme heat and extreme flooding.
While Doug ignores the issues, there’s lots of things we can do to act on climate. Support and improve the City’s NetZero strategy. Support a group doing good work, such as the Toronto Climate Action Network, Environmental Defence, and the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
Doug Ford is not a monolith. People are devastated by the cuts to hospitals and schools. The obsession with his pet projects. The corruption. His disdain for the environment. We know there’s a rash of byelections coming up, starting with Scarborough Southwest. He’s vulnerable. His popularity is tanking.
It’s time to flex our political muscle. We will be campaigning in these by-elections, and I encourage you to do the same.
Jessica Bell
MPP, University-Rosedale