Michael Bernstein, the executive director of Clean Prosperity, made these comments in response to today’s decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal:

“The court decision may not have gone his way, but it should be welcomed by Premier Doug Ford because it gives him the chance to change course on his misguided efforts to fight the carbon tax.”

“Ford has slammed the carbon tax as too expensive and too costly to the economy, going as far as to claim it will cause a recession and be the “worst tax ever,” but that totally ignores the facts. The reality is that the federal carbon tax comes with a rebate that makes people better off, whereas Ford’s plan would cost every Ontarian $210 per year by 2022. This ruling should be considered a victory for the environment as well as for Ontario families and businesses.”

“Premier Ford clearly isn’t afraid to make changes if the situation calls for them, given the ones he made recently to his cabinet and staff. Today’s court decision gives him a golden opportunity to do the same with his climate policy. He should turn the page on emissions reduction strategies that will cost Ontarians more money and instead throw his support behind carbon pricing, which is the lowest cost and most pro-growth way to address climate change.”

Key Facts

A groundbreaking recent report from Clean Prosperity and EnviroEconomics showed that Ford’s climate plan would cost households $210 per year by 2022 — twice as much as the federal plan for every tonne of carbon removed.

The Ontario plan will cost households an estimated $450 million annually by 2022 (a figure that will rise to $924 million by 2030). In contrast, the federal carbon tax and rebate leaves households with a net gain of $728 million, or $130 per household, by 2022.

According to the PBO’s report released in April, 8 out of 10 Ontario households will get back more in carbon rebates than they pay in costs associated with the tax.