Thanks to climate change, technological innovation, and global economic forces, life in Ontario is changing fast. Our choice comes down to whether we are proactive or reactive in responding to these forces and whether we choose to make the most of new opportunities. Ontario can gain an advantage by investing in abundant and low-cost renewable energy, productive, healthy and active communities, and innovative businesses — all supported by a healthy and diverse natural world.
This is also an opportunity to deliver better outcomes for racialized and vulnerable communities, by building housing that increases affordability, controlling food costs by supporting local farmers and protecting farmlands, and by reducing toxics and pollutants everywhere, but especially in already overburdened communities.
It is also an opportunity to learn from Indigenous communities about how to implement more sustainable approaches to managing our interactions with the natural world and reshaping resource development to ensure we stop overrunning natural limits. This will also be an important approach to advance reconciliation.
The Vision
Affordability:
Ontario is a place where everyone can find a home, get access to healthy local food, and is prepared for a changing climate.
- Build communities by building homes within existing towns and cities that are safe, energy efficient and affordable
- Create a highly efficient, lowest cost renewable-based electricity system
- Take strong climate action to avoid costly disasters like fires and flooding.
- Enact strong protections for local food sources and farmlands and an end to resource-wasting sprawl
Liveability:
Ontarians have access to vibrant and well-connected communities embedded in healthy and diverse natural environments.
- Create walkable compact communities that are well connected by frequent and reliable public transit and active transportation networks
- Eliminate toxins and micro plastics that harm the environment and human health
- Protect natural systems that sustain people, wildlife and improve climate resilience
- End the inequitable impact of failing and inadequate infrastructure on under-resourced communities to reduce climate threats and improve health and well being
Prosperity:
Ontario is at the forefront of building a fair and just economy.
- Build an economy that makes the most of existing resources through reuse, repair and recycling to create jobs and new businesses by embracing circular principles.
- Ensure that everyone has a chance to thrive in the new economy and that energy transition efforts truly reduce our climate and environmental impacts
- Start appropriately valuing large intact ecosystems in economic and resource planning and recognize the irreplaceable services they provide, including climate mitigation, flooding protection, reduced wildfire risk, sustenance and biodiversity conservation
- Make reducing climate-damaging emissions an economic priority to create new jobs, businesses and services and to lower costs for everyone while ensuring that the costs are equitably borne
How do we get there? Read our detailed policy proposals.