VICTORIA – Premier Gordon
Campbell congratulated Ontario today for
joining the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), adding the partnership is a
positive step forward in creating a strong and balanced cap-and-trade system in
North America.
“I
congratulate Premier Dalton McGuinty and the Province
of Ontario for joining the WCI
partners in developing a cap-and-trade system that uses market principles to
reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming,” said Campbell. “As the first
Canadian member of the WCI, B.C. recognizes that large, diverse
intergovernmental partnerships are an important part of the fight against
climate change and is pleased to welcome Ontario
as a partner.”
Ontario’s incorporation into the WCI
partnership now creates access to an even larger market that will lower
compliance costs for industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the
addition of Ontario
means WCI partners now account for over 82 million people with a collective GDP
of $3.6 trillion CAD.
“With the recent additions of Quebec and now Ontario,
B.C. is on the ground floor of a growing partnership to drive down emissions by
developing a North American cap-and-trade system,” said Environment Minister
Barry Penner. “The WCI is now the largest climate collaborative in North
America, representing approximately 20 per cent of the U.S. economy, 73 per cent of Canada’s economy, and 50 per cent
of all emissions in our country.”
The WCI was
created in February 2007 by the governors of Arizona,
California, New Mexico,
Oregon and Washington with the long-term commitment to
significantly reduce regional greenhouse gases and fight climate change. In
April 2007, British Columbia
was the first Canadian province to join. Since that time, Ontario,
Quebec and Manitoba
in Canada and Utah and Montana in the United States
have become partners as well.
To learn
more about ways you can work towards climate change, visit www.livesmartbc.ca and for more
information on the Western Climate Initiative, visit www.westernclimateinitiative.org.
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