Cap-and-trade cancellation could hurt Toronto Community Housing, transit

By News Staff, The Canadian Press

The new provincial government’s move to cancel the cap-and-trade program could mean millions in lost money for Toronto Community Housing (TCH) and transit.

Premier Doug Ford says his government will officially begin winding down all green programs funded through the province’s cap-and-trade system this week.

That includes money earmarked to retrofit and repair TCH units, and implement a GO Transit and TTC co-fare.

On Tuesday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said he was hopeful Premier Ford would come to his senses and keep the money flowing.

“Doug Ford is a very intelligent businessman,” Tory said. “And he will understand that it makes no sense whatsoever to have these valuable public assets, namely Toronto Community housing units, and allow them to fall down into a state of total disrepair.”

Ford says the province will honour contracts and orders that have already been signed for projects funded by cap-and-trade.

Tory said almost half of $300 million previously allocated for TCH under cap-and-trade would be honoured.

“About $129 million of it is secured because there are agreements signed,” he said. “There is some other money that is obviously in grave doubt because of the cap-and-trade cancellation.”

Tory said the TTC/GO-Transit co-fare discount could also be jeopardized by the cancellation of cap-and-trade.

“The fare that is to be homogenized between GO Transit and the TTC…that too was be funded by the cap and trade,” Tory added. “I will be talking to him (Premier Ford) about that to make sure that fare happens across the city for GO and the TTC, so people have transit options.”

The co-fare agreement would see passengers on GO Transit and the UP Express get half-price fares on the TTC.

The discount will see adults paying $1.50 to ride the rocket. Conversely, those heading out of the city starting on the TTC will have the $1.50 discount applied to their GO Transit or UP Express fare.

Some rebates for energy-efficient renovations that were financed through cap-and-trade revenues — such as the GreenON rebate program — were already being phased out before Ford officially took office last week.

The premier says the government will decide on a case-by-case basis whether some initiatives previously funded by the program will be paid for using tax base revenue.

He says those decisions will factor in his overall plan for the province and the results of an upcoming value-for-money audit of government spending.

Ford’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday but the premier said in the statement that he believes scrapping cap and trade will put money back in Ontarians’ pockets.

“I promised that the party with taxpayers’ dollars was over and that this would include scrapping the cap-and-trade carbon tax slush fund. Today we are keeping that promise,” he said.

The government’s website does not list contact information for the newly appointed minister of the environment or any other cabinet members.


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