Advocates rally for new climate change strategy from Ontario government

The provincial government is being pressured to reinstate a climate plan.

Emission targets and reporting requirements were removed in legislation last fall.

A coalition of health professionals, policy experts, Indigenous leaders and others says a science-based, accountable climate plan is needed to protect public health and secure the province’s economic future.

Dr. Mili Roy, with the Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign, says the government’s decision threatens the future health and well-being of the province.

She would like the Ontario government to allow for more renewable energy projects to proceed.

“Real solutions such as a large-scale renewable energy transition, including Indigenous-led development, represent a massive opportunity to protect our health, our sovereignty and affordability, to create more jobs, and competitively attract investment,” says Roy.

Bushra Asghar from the group Organizing for a Youth Climate Corps. feels Ontario has taken a step backwards at a time when the province is experiencing the impacts related to climate change.

“It’s costing us in worsening wildfires, smoke-filled summers, extreme heat events, and flooding,” says Asghar.

“It costs us constrained health care systems, damaged infrastructure, uninsurable private property, and rising costs for families.”

Doris Grinspun, Chief Executive Officer of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, says climate change is also putting an added strain on the healthcare sector.

“Nurses see seniors arriving with heat strokes from an overheated apartment, in Indigenous communities displaced by wildfires or flooding, many of whom will work directly on other evidence-based practices, in increasing respiratory and cardiovascular emergency visits, asthma attacks, and other acute symptoms caused by wildfire smoke and elevated fine particulate matter,” Says Grinspun.

Supporters were at Queen’s Park on Wednesday to present the government with a petition for a new climate plan and the expansion of renewable energy projects.

Fourteen new solar projects were announced earlier this month.

The groups say the number of megawatts they will produce is significantly less than what electricity forecasts demand.