On November 23 the government of Ontario passed legislation to permanently ban coal-fired electricity generation in the province – a first in North America.
The Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act prevents new and existing facilities from burning coal for the sole purpose of generating electricity. It sets maximum fines for anyone who violates the ban and enshrines the health and environmental benefits of eliminating coal-fired electricity in law.
This landmark legislation is designed to build on Ontario’s leadership on climate change. Last year, Ontario closed its last coal-fired power plant. Closing coal-fired power plants is one of the largest greenhouse gas reduction initiatives in North America. The closure represents an elimination of more than 30 megatonnes of annual GHG emissions, equivalent to taking seven million vehicles off the road. Closing coal has helped reduce the number of smog days in Ontario from 53 in 2005 to zero in 2015.
A government statement added, “Climate change is not a distant threat - it is already costing the people of Ontario. It has devastated communities, damaged homes, businesses and crops and increased insurance rates. The cost of inaction is far too high.”