For Immediate Release

November 17, 2016

Toronto: On the eve of the first anniversary of Paris Climate Change agreement, environmentalists criticized the City for failing to invest in actions that are necessary to meet our climate change targets.

“A year ago, the Mayor was in Paris telling the world Toronto would do its part to help the country meet our climate change targets,” said Dusha Sritharan, Climate Change Campaigner for the Toronto Environmental Alliance. “Today, we have staff reports with good intentions but no investment. Which means we are failing to uphold our part in this international agreement.”

One of the reports in front of the City’s Parks and Environment Committee outlines a number of short-term strategies to help the city reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2020. These strategies include energy retrofits for social housing, supporting safe cycling and walking and supporting electrical vehicles. However, the report does not request new money to ramp up these important programs.

“There is a worrying pattern emerging whenever City Council considers new plans to improve living conditions for Torontonians” said Sritharan. “Council has adopted a new transit plan and a new poverty reduction strategy but has then failed to fund them adequately. The new climate plan is yet another example of a good plan without any new money.”

Today, TEA asked the members of the Parks and Environment Committee to put the wheels in motion to ensure there is adequate investment in the City’s climate plans in 2017.

“Toronto can’t afford to fall behind on reducing our emissions and building a resilient city. We know that climate change is happening right now and directly having an impact on Torontonians and Canadians,” said Sritharan. “The federal and provincial governments have already made it clear that climate action is a priority by investing billions of dollars. Now the Mayor and Council must do the same.”

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For more information, contact: Dusha Sritharan: 416-473-7918