Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie has announced that her party won't implement a carbon tax if they come into power after the 2026 election, pushing back against a key criticism from Premier Doug Ford.
Crombie, who has only been in the role for a few months, has been the target of negative adverts from the Ontario Progressive Conservatives aiming to shape her image prior to her being able to establish herself in the eyes of voters.
Ford, who frequently criticizes the Federal Liberal government for imposing a carbon tax, has raised doubts about Crombie's stance on carbon pricing, even going as far as to label her the “queen of the carbon tax.”
Although Crombie was initially hesitant to clearly express her position on carbon pricing, her party released a statement on Monday confirming that they won't enforce charges directly affecting consumers.
“We will ensure major polluters pay, but we will not have an Ontario carbon tax on consumers,” Crombie stated.
Crombie also revealed the formation of a new climate action panel, led by MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon, which will contribute to shaping the Ontario Liberal Party’s election platform.
“Climate change is a major threat to our province’s economic well-being and the future generations’ health and safety,” Crombie stated. “This Conservative government has taken us backwards — they have no plan to fight climate change.” Among the panel members are former agriculture, food and rural affairs minister Carol Mitchell, former environment minister Chris Ballard, and Vince Gasparro, former principal secretary to former Toronto mayor John Tory and currently a board member with the World Wildlife Fund.
The Liberals have stated that the panel will investigate strategies to combat climate change through policies targeting polluters and by supporting households in becoming more energy efficient.
The Liberals have announced that the panel will examine approaches to combat climate change, focusing on holding polluters accountable and assisting households in becoming more energy efficient.
