While a comprehensive climate mitigation plan is currently being developed, preliminary strategies identified for reducing emissions include
- Increase in adoption of solar PV
- Launch a Mayor’s Challenge program for commercial building efficiency
- Development of electric vehicle infrastructure
- Enhance energy and water efficiency at City-owned facilities
Province of Ontario
In 2001, Ontario began the process of closing its coal plants and in the years since, has significantly reduced pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, mercury and particulate matter. Ontario’s low-emission combination of hydroelectric, nuclear, natural gas and non-hydro renewable generating capacity has enabled the province to avoid up to 30 megatonnes of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Ontario now has one of the cleanest energy grids in North America. Since 2005, the province’s total greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by 22% - while the rest of Canada saw emissions increase by 3% during that same time.
Set out in the in Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, released on November 29, 2018, the province has set a target to reduce its emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The province estimates they will achieve this reduction via the following objectives:
- Low Carbon Vehicle Uptake: primarily through electric vehicle adoption in Ontario and the expansion of compressed natural gas in trucking;
- Industry Performance Standards: regulating large emitters of GHGs;
- Clean Fuels: Increasing the ethanol content of gasoline and encouraging uptake of renewable natural gas and use of lower carbon fuels, specifically to increase the renewable content in gasoline to 15% by 2025;
- Clean Fuel Standard: an estimate of the additional impact of the proposed federal standards;
- The Natural Gas Conservation: programs that are well established in Ontario to conserve energy and save people money;
- The Ontario Carbon Trust: an emission reduction fund, using public funds to leverage private investment in clean technologies;
- Other policies: applies to actions applying to climate change adaptation; and
- Innovation: potential advancements in energy storage
On November 28, 2019, the province announced some significant progress towards their targets, including but not limited to:
- Establishing an Advisory Panel to provide the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks with advice on the implementation and development of actions in the province’s climate change plan;