BC introduces carbon taxes, while Ontario can’t even make the use of safe electric cars legal. BC takes the lead again on the environment front, my question is:
Since when did Ontario become a follower instead of a leader?
Ontario is so far behind on environmental progress when compared to Quebec and BC that its no wonder the Green party has gained momentum in the province during the last provincial election.
Why wait for the federal government? Ontario should be implementing incentives such as a cap & trade and carbon taxes to finally put a price on carbon and start transforming our economy.
If the lack of leadership on the environment continues, Ontario risks being the province of the past instead of the future where a green economy is the only sustainable path.
Good question … taxing gasoline is fraught with difficulties … increase the tax too much and gasoline smuggling (from the US and other sources) will increase.
A better solution is to privatize the highways … sell off all 400 series highways (each to different private organizations to prevent collusion), use the proceeds to build public transit and voila! car use will diminish. This may be good for environment and possibly (more importantly) for sense of community.
We’ll see … I think my idea is likely next steps.
Another point … focus on cars is misguided … electricity is a major source!
From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5128478.stm
Nineteen percent of global electricity generation is taken for lighting…the carbon dioxide produced by generating all of this electricity amounts to 70% of global emissions from passenger vehicles,.