Minister's Speech

Remarks prepared for:

The Honourable John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment

Public Affairs Association of Canada
The Albany Club

91 King Street East, Toronto
Thursday, September 18, 2008, 8 a.m.

(Check against delivery)

Thank you Elaine, for the warm welcome and introduction.  

(Minister to be introduced by Elaine Flis – past president of PAAC)

I’m happy to be here.

Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

You, as members of the Public Affairs Association of Canada, play an important role connecting public policy to the top issues affecting Canadian business.

It’s important that you have the information you need to best advise your clients on our government’s environmental agenda. 

We have an ambitious green agenda covering many different environmental issues from protecting our drinking water … taking action on toxics … moving forward on waste management … to mention just a few.

But, today I’d like to focus on climate change; the steps we are taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how that is fundamentally linked to building a new, sustainable green economy for Ontario.

Premier McGuinty is passionate about this.  He has instructed me to make climate change our key environmental priority.  

Climate change is real and its here.

Its effects are already being felt, nowhere more profoundly than in the arctic where this summer sea ice fell to its second-lowest level in recorded history.

More extreme weather events, like the major hurricanes we’ve watched sweep across Haiti and Texas, lower water levels in the Great Lakes, new pest infestations … all these signposts are marking the urgency of the situation.

These effects are not limited to our forests or our wetlands.  Climate change is hurting us on the factory floor and in the farmer’s fields.

What we do now will fundamentally shape the world for generations to come. 

Clearly, climate change needs to be priority for every government in the world.

Go Green — Our action plan on climate change includes some of the most comprehensive, forward-looking steps on the environment Ontario has ever taken.

It will also help everyone make better, greener choices that will save money and help the economy.

It will give Ontario’s businesses the tools they need to be sustainable and thrive — and offer opportunities for new, innovative green businesses to grow in our province.

Go Greenis a five-point action plan beginning with tough targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Our goal is to reduce emissions below 1990 levels — six per cent by 2014, 15 per cent by 2020 — and we are working aggressively to meet these targets.

We’re setting out the measures to get there including new regulations, conservation, a phase-out of coal-fired power plants and much more renewable energy.

Our Move 2020 transit plan is the second pillar of the plan.

We’re launching the largest transit investment in Canadian history – a $17.5 billion plan that includes 52 rapid transit projects in the GTA and Hamilton.  It calls for 902 kilometres of new or improved rapid transit, creating 175,000 jobs during construction. 

Better transit systems will benefit our economy by moving goods and services more easily across the Greater Golden Horseshoe region.

That is why we have taken the necessary steps to accelerate the environmental assessment process for transit projects. 

Third, we are creating jobs by going green.

Through the Next Generation of Jobs Fund, our government will be providing $1.15 billion to support companies whose products reduce pollution, save energy, make transportation more efficient or help the environment in other ways.

The fund will cover clean automotive and other green technology, health and biotechnology research and development, creative industries and pharmaceutical research and manufacturing.

It will secure the next generation of high-paying jobs for Ontarians by supporting the use and sale of clean and green technologies and businesses here in Ontario.

The next point in our Go Green Plan covers Green Power – we have set long-term targets to double the amount of electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

In a short time, we have gone from 10 to nearly 700 wind projects, in place or planned.

And finally, we’re looking to Grow Green.

In addition to the Greenbelt Act, which ensures there will always be protected spaces around our most populated urban areas, 50 million new trees will be planted in southern Ontario by 2020.

We are also moving to protect at least 225,000 square kilometres of the Far North Boreal region.  Permanently protecting these lands will help establish a globally significant carbon sink.

We’re also bringing in new programs to promote locally grown Ontario food – the best in the world.

In the face of this critical challenge every government has a clear choice … to lead or lag behind.

In Ontario, we are choosing to lead.

At the same time, we know climate change is here already.

We need to develop adaptation strategies to curb its effects and ensure our people’s health and our natural resources are protected and sustained.

To this end we have established Ontario’s Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation.

Led by some of the world’s leading climate change scientists, this panel will provide information and advice on ways we can adjust to greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere.

We are confident in the work of our Adaptation Panel to guide us in this area.

Finally, the Climate Change Secretariat — which reports directly to the Premier — will be coordinating our entire government’s climate change activities, making sure that we meet our targets and stay on track. 

Our government recognizes the immense challenge of climate change and we also know it is going to take a comprehensive, collaborative approach — one that involves every ministry, all levels of government and every sector.

We no longer view the health of our environment and our economy as being separate.

This brings me to my second key theme.

A healthy environment and a healthy economy go hand in hand.  They are inextricably linked.

We have to accept that building a green, sustainable economy is not only the right thing to do.  It is an economic imperative.

We know forward-thinking progressive businesses are already doing this.  We know that we can do it here in Ontario. 

Ontario is quickly becoming a recognised leader as a place that is supporting and encouraging environmental innovations and products.

Our environment industry here is now worth almost $8 billion a year to our economy. 

We're approaching the $1 billion mark in environmental exports and now have almost 60,000 dedicated professionals working in our green sector to help shape the economy of the future.  

We know the world is looking for innovative green technologies that will help us address climate change.

Environmental actions are the catalyst for the next great wave of innovation — the key factor that will separate those governments and businesses that will lead in the green economy from those who lag behind.   

This is not the time for fear and hesitation.  There are real examples, especially in Europe, of industry giants who are already moving forward with green technology and sustainable business models. 

For example, British Petroleum’s energy efficiency initiative has been the company’s most profitable project in the last decade; with a US$100 million investment, the company achieved US$400 million in savings.

We want to encourage and recognise those businesses and institutions that have found new ways to reduce their footprints by exceeding provincial standards, going beyond compliance and leading by example.   

I'm speaking of the Ontario Environmental Leaders program.

This program is part of our government’s commitment to make Ontario an example to Canada and the world as a place where good business practices and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand. 

We are proud of the work of our business partners and I want to encourage more Ontario companies to look at joining this unique program.

The fact resonates with everyone — in this environmental challenge, no one can stand alone — we’re all in this together.

At the same time — we know these are challenging times for our economy. 

Our Premier has been outspoken in his support for helping Canadian manufacturers compete in an increasingly challenging global marketplace.

No question the challenges we face are substantial. 

Our strong dollar, higher energy costs, the unstable U.S. economy and cheap competitor goods are putting increasing pressure on Canada’s manufacturing and exporting sector.

Obviously, now with a federal election on here and a presidential election south of the border, all eyes are on what the top issues are going to be in the minds of North American voters.

We have seen environmental awareness surge ahead over the past few years … now it’s on equal footing with traditional hot-button issues like the economy and health care.

No matter who is elected here or in the U.S.— people are viewing the environment and especially climate change as a major issue that they want to see action on.

We know that no country will be untouched by this issue.  So, we are working with like-minded jurisdictions and forging relationships with other governments to combat climate change.

Climate change is driving the need for ideas and innovation for every economic sector, across all levels of government.

If you accept that climate change is happening — and that it is being caused by the burning of fossil fuels — then, it stands to reason you have to put a price on carbon.

That is why one of our biggest cooperative initiatives is our partnership with Quebec to develop a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions.

The cap-and-trade system between Ontario and Quebec will be a flexible, market-based program with caps becoming more stringent over time.

In July, Ontario joined the Western Climate Initiative.

The WCI is developing a regional cap and trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions involving several US states and four Canadian provinces.

With Ontario’s participation the WCI now represents approximately 73 per cent of Canada’s economy and around 20 per cent of the United States. 

Joining WCI not only will help us meet our greenhouse gas reduction targets … it will be a major economic tool to transform our economy and foster growth and innovation.

We want to be part that group of like-minded progressive jurisdictions who see the potential for the new trading regime — one that will provide certainty and predictability to Canadian businesses.

By working with the best trading systems in other jurisdictions, we can achieve real emission reductions at a lower cost … improve the pace of innovation … and provide Ontario companies with wider access to trading opportunities.

In addition, we have signed agreements with California, New Brunswick and Quebec to work together to fight climate change.

These actions will help us make the transition to a low-carbon economy and encourage technological innovation, economic growth and job creation.

Yes, government must lead — but we can’t fight climate change alone.

We need every sector to do their part.  This is where the work you do comes in.

Everyone, in every business, from every sector of our economy — has a key role to play. 

Ontario’s progressive business leaders are critical to our success.

We need you, as public policy experts, to encourage your organizations and clients to work with us on developing new innovative solutions … to think in terms of our new green economy and how to improve sustainability and efficiency at the same time.

I know Ontario companies and corporate leaders want to do their part — they are looking to government for leadership and a level playing field and we are committed to working with them.

To quote our Premier…..”Climate change is the defining issue of our generation – we’ve come a long way but we have more to do, together”. 

We can make Ontario a centre of innovation and a world leader in environmental technology, but we need your help.

It is important we all understand the challenges — but also to see the opportunities … to view these as steps we are taking forward as we move toward a new greener economy.

By working together to address climate change, Ontario companies can improve the bottom line of their own operations while helping create a healthy, strong and prosperous future for our province.

This requires nothing less than our very best efforts.  For our province and for our people … for our children and for their children.   

Thank you.

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