Win: Climate Change & the Health of Canadians - Carbon Pric

[Oscar]

Win for Climate Change and the Health of Canadians in Carbon Pricing Case

[ https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019 ... INAL-1.pdf ]

Toronto/Yellowknife, June 28, 2019

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is relieved that the Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act is Constitutional. As a member of the Intergenerational Climate Coalition led by Generation Squeeze, CAPE intervened in the constitutional challenge of the Act that was led by the Ontario Government. The Ontario Government argued that the Act would undermine co-operative federalism in front of five-judge panel. The federal government responded that in the face of climate change, it is essential to act now and we are thrilled that the Ontario Court of Appeal agrees.

"The top Court in Ontario has reaffirmed the right of the federal government to set minimum standards for provinces and territories, when needed, to protect the health and well-being of Canadians" offered Kim Perrotta, public health professional and Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). "If there has ever been an issue that threatens the health and well-being of Canadians, it is climate change. Last summer, millions of Canadians were exposed to extremely high levels of air pollution as smoke from wildfires blanketed their communities, thousands were evacuated from their homes because of wildfires, millions more were exposed to dangerous temperatures for many days, and tens of thousands had their lives disrupted by floods and tornadoes."

"One of the main recommendations from the 2015 Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change was the establishment of a strong, predictable price on climate emissions to drive healthy change in the same way as increased prices of tobacco products did." noted Dr. Courtney Howard, President of CAPE. "We are very pleased by the Ontario Court's decision today. Including carbon pricing, a proven, effective tool as part of our approach to climate change helps us protect people from the harmful impacts of heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes and floods that are becoming more frequent and more intense because of climate change."

“The Ontario Court’s decision is a win for intergenerational fairness and the health of Canadians. The extreme weather caused by climate change puts at risk the conditions that younger Canadians and future generations require for health. So it is important for Courts to interpret our constitution in ways that give the greatest flexibility for all levels of government to do what is necessary to fend off the worst that climate change will otherwise inflict. Our kids are counting on us,” observes Dr. Paul Kershaw, the Founder of Generation Squeeze who led our coalition’s intervention in the Ontario case. -30-

Kim Perrotta, Executive Director
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
E-mail: kim@cape.ca
Phone: (905) 320-8710
Website: http://www.cape.ca
Facebook: @capedoctors
Twitter: @CAPE_Doctors
LinkedIn: Kim Perrotta

We also wish to acknowledge that CAPE's head office is located on the traditional Indigenous territory of the Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and most recently, the territory of the Mississaugas of the New Credit.

Media Contacts:

Kim Perrotta, Executive Director: (905-320-8710) – kim@cape.ca
Kaeleigh Phillips, Digital Communications & Outreach Director: (416)306-2273 ext. 1 kaeleigh@cape.ca