Ontario leaders’ debate ignores climate action

Experts and environmental advocates are disappointed after climate policy was sidelined in the Ontario election’s second leaders’ debate, where leaders focused more on criticizing the carbon tax than proposing solutions to the crisis.

The debate was a missed opportunity for leaders to present meaningful climate action ahead of the February 27 election, climate experts and environmental advocates said.

“Climate change is on nobody’s lips,” said Peter Graefe, a political science professor at McMaster University. “This is an Ontario election where I would think if you're an ecologist, you'd be pretty depressed.” 

Graefe noted that the debate lacked discussion on projects to reduce environmental impact and that, aside from the Green Party’s opposition to Highway 413, climate change has been largely absent.

Monday night’s debate was dominated by healthcare, housing, affordability, and infrastructure. There was also mention of the Greenbelt, the federal carbon tax, and the proposed Highway 401 tunnel. Climate change, however, was discussed last — and only for five minutes out of the TKTK LENGTH.

When asked how the leaders would reduce emissions quickly if the federal carbon tax disappears, Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford said he believes Ontario is already a climate leader and stressed he would oppose any tax increase to support climate policy.

“Do you know what has killed more jobs than anything? The carbon tax.” Ford said. “The queen of the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, believes in it. And my other two colleagues here, they love the carbon tax — it just doesn’t cut it.”

Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie also distanced herself from the carbon tax.

“I was the first Liberal to stand up and say it's too expensive to have a consumer carbon tax,” she said. I was the first to say there will be no tax on consumers. There will be no carbon tax.”

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner dodged answering the carbon tax question, stating instead that protecting Ontario’s farmland, wetlands, and the Greenbelt is key to addressing the climate crisis. He accused the Progressive Conservatives of threatening these vital ecosystems, which shield communities from extreme weather events caused by fossil fuel emissions.

“We must stop the government from ramping up fossil gas plants, which will increase electricity prices and pollution,” Schreiner said. “We need to stop subsidizing Big Oil and Gas immediately.”

NDP Leader Marit Stiles stressed that as climate change intensifies, Ontario must take the lead on climate action and praised young activists for pushing for stronger environmental policies.

However, environmental advocates argue that without a carbon pricing mechanism, there needs to be a clear alternative to reduce emissions — something that was missing from all party leaders’ responses.

“The carbon tax is just one of many tools that we need to be using in the battle against our changing climate, and so it was one really important tool in the toolbox,” said Kevin Thomason, vice-chair of the environmental advocacy group Grand River Environmental Network.

“Ignoring climate change won’t make it go away,” Thomason said.

Graefe told Canada's National Observer that the carbon tax has shifted from being a policy tool for reducing emissions to a political battleground, where those opposed to environmental action use it to attack those who support it.

The attacks cloud meaningful discussion on how Ontario can transition away from fossil fuels, he added.

Graefe says that if the carbon tax is eliminated, the next Ontario government must consider alternative policies to reduce emissions, such as investing in clean transportation instead of highway expansion, promoting sustainable urban development to limit sprawl, encouraging energy-efficient construction, and supporting low-carbon farming practices.

With the PC government under RCMP criminal investigation for the $8.3-billion Greenbelt land swap, leaders were also asked if they would allow housing development in the development-restricted area. 

Schreiner, Stiles, and Crombie firmly said no, arguing that Ontario has enough land within urban boundaries to meet housing needs. Crombie criticized Ford for breaking his promise not to open the Greenbelt to development.

Ford once again apologized for his aborted Greenbelt development plans and said he will not do it again. “I think it was pretty clear — I said I wouldn’t, but I went ahead and did it. That being said, I apologize to the people,” he said.

Thomason also dismissed Ford’s renewed promise to protect the Greenbelt as “untrustworthy” given his past actions.

He criticized Ford’s land use policies, saying they have fueled urban sprawl, increased car dependency, and prioritized developer interests over sustainability.