The Cement Association of Canada (CAC) congratulates the Ontario government and the leadership being shown by Premier Wynne and Minister Murray on the release of its world-leading Climate Action Plan. This plan will help ensure that Ontario meets and exceeds its 2020, 2030 and 2050 GHG reduction targets.
Furthering its leadership in phasing out coal from the electricity sector, the Wynne government is now enabling emissions-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) industries, like cement, to reduce their own reliance on coal. The Plan earmarks US$40 – US$60 million to help EITE industries across Ontario move away from coal and develop the necessary supply chains so we can better utilise alternative low carbon fuels. The result for Ontarians will be lower GHG emissions, cleaner air, and a more competitive industrial sector.
The Association were also pleased to see that the Ontario government is doing its fair share by signalling how it will move forward with life cycle assessment and life cycle cost assessment to use the power of procurement to drive change while saving taxpayer dollars. Every year, Ontario spends almost US$14 billion on infrastructure that can be used to reduce GHG emissions while helping Ontario build the next generation of public infrastructure.
The Association are equally buoyed by the government's commitment to develop service standards for permit approvals. This will help ensure that GHG-reducing innovations can be brought into use more quickly while still protecting the environment. Business requires certainty in order to make investments in Ontario and service standards will assist in this certainty.
Members appreciate the collaborative approach that the Wynne government took in developing this plan. The comprehensive policy proposals that were consulted on over the past 18-24 months have ensured that everyone had a fair chance to make their case for how Ontario's cap and trade system should be designed. We recognise that this is the start of the Climate Plan in Ontario and we look forward to continued interactions with the various Ministries to ensure the competitiveness of our industry is continually addressed.
The changes outlined in the Climate Action Plan will help ensure our industry and others remain competitive in Ontario and in other markets in North America as we move toward a low-carbon future.
Edited from source by Joseph Green. Source: CAC