ISTM that a massive plan promoting the switch to electric heat was in place in the 1960's. That didn't worked out so well. Nothing like legislating a switch back to electric use, without any of the supporting infrastructure in place. And who will pay? Oh yes, that would be you and I. It's not like the province has a debt problem in the first place!The Ontario government will spend more than $7-billion over four years on a sweeping climate change plan that will affect every aspect of life – from what people drive to how they heat their homes and workplaces – in a bid to slash the province’s carbon footprint.
Ontario will begin phasing out natural gas for heating, provide incentives to retrofit buildings and give rebates to drivers who buy electric vehicles. It will also require that gasoline sold in the province contain less carbon, bring in building code rules requiring all new homes by 2030 to be heated with electricity or geothermal systems, and set a target for 12 per cent of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2025.
While such policies are likely to be popular with ecoconscious voters, who will now receive government help to green their lives, they are certain to cause mass disruption for the province’s automotive and energy sectors, which will have to make significant changes to the way they do business. And they have already created tension within the government between Environment Minister Glen Murray and some of his fellow ministers who worry he is going too far.
Perhaps the policy wonks have decided that snatching victory from almost sure defeat twice in a row means the public is ready for such measures. Talk about living in a bubble!