Media Advisory: David Suzuki Foundation available for comment on Ontario budget

By: David Suzuki Foundation


TORONTO - The Ontario government’s budget announcement on Tuesday, March 25, will be an important chance for Premier Dalton McGuinty to present his next steps towards meeting the province’s climate change targets.

The David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) believes that the province can create jobs, growth and opportunities by improving energy efficiency and shifting to low-carbon, green industry, and renewable energy sources.

Last year, the Ontario government announced targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by 2014 and by 15% by 2020. Significant new measures are required to meet these targets.

The David Suzuki Foundation expects this budget will signal strong progress on the following fronts by:

putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions, through either a cap and trade system and/or a carbon tax on polluting activities
providing significant new support for energy efficiency and conservation in all sectors, public transit, expansion of renewable energy sources, and preservation of boreal forests
creating an integrated strategy for shifting to the low-carbon economy by reducing Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions, and encouraging innovation and support for the development of new sustainable industries and technologies.

Representatives from the David Suzuki Foundation will attend tomorrow’s budget lock-up at Queen’s Park, and will be available afterwards to provide comment and analysis to the media.

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For more information, contact:
Mark Lutes, Climate Change and Energy Policy Analyst
Work: (416) 644-1032 • Cell: (416) 473-5919 • mlutes@davidsuzuki.org

Jose Etcheverry, Climate Change Research and Policy Analyst
Cell: (416) 843-2484 • jose@davidsuzuki.org

Dominic Ali, Senior Communications Specialist
Work: (416) 644-1032 • Cell: (647) 203-4701 • dali@davidsuzuki.org

source: David Suzuki Foundation