[greenon-l] Help design a conserver budget

[Conservation Council of Ontario]

Green On.
The Online Newsletter of the Conservation Council of Ontario
see www.greenontario.org to subscribe or unsubscribe

Editor:  Chris Winter, Executive Director

Note:  The Green On. listserve is currently being used to promote our We 
Conserve Initiative
Please see www.weconserve.ca for details.


[]




Help design a conserver budget

This week I attended a pre-budget consultation with the Ontario Ministry of 
Finance.  I suggested that this is the year that the government needs to 
look at a conservation budget.  This is the year that Ontario needs to make 
a visible commitment to a conserver economy ­ as a new area of economic 
growth, and to create an efficient economy that is more resilient to 
resource scarcity and rising gas prices.

Ontario Power Authority’s Supply Mix Advice Report says that Ontario does 
not have a credible track record in conservation.  The Ministry of Energy 
and the Conservation Bureau are trying to foster a "culture of 
conservation" with respect to electricity.  Where is the pricing mechanism 
that will penalize overconsumption, reward conservation, and facilitate the 
shift to renewable power?

Places to Grow, the growth management plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 
seeks to encourage compact, livable communities and vital downtown 
cores.  Where are the fiscal instruments to ensure that greenfield 
development is more expensive than brownfield or infill development, and to 
provide funding for community infrastructure (health and social services, 
bike lanes, recreation areas)?

Ontarians have already seen a rise in gas prices, and even higher prices 
are just around the corner. We also had the worst air quality summer on 
record.  Where are the fiscal instruments to support a transition to fuel 
efficient (6.0 litres/100km and under) and hybrid cars?

Michigan may soon close its borders to Toronto’s garbage.  Beyond the Blue 
Box, how can the government support waste reduction?

Resources are at the heart of our economy.  Protecting significan natural 
areas and ensuring sustainable and viable forestry, agriculture and other 
resource industries are vital to the future well-being of our 
province.   What new economic measures can be introduced to ensure a 
efficiency?

Please Help

Ontario’s 2006 budget has to demonstrate clear fiscal measures that support 
the government’s conservation initiatives.  Here’s how you can help.  Tell 
me your favourite economic instrument in support of a conserver economy.  I 
will post some of the ideas to solicit further comment and compile a 
submission of the best ideas to submit to the Province early in the new year.

1.  Post a short comment or suggestion.  Use the comment form below to make 
a concise comment or suggestion (please be brief).

2.  Send me an e-mail..  If you have details on your suggestion, please 
send them to me in an e-mail to <mailto:cco at web.ca>cco at web.ca

3.  Post a suggestion on the Ministry of Finance website.  The ministry 
wants your views on three questions: creating a new generation of economic 
growth, addressing external challenges and risks, and improving 
accountability.  Let them know how supporting growth in a conserver economy 
will improve economic resiliency against fluctuating resource prices, and 
how connecting overconsumption surcharges with subsidies for conservation 
will improve transparency and 
accountability. 
<http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/consultations/prebud06/feedback.html>http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/consultations/prebud06/feedback.html. 
You can also make detailed submissions 
to  <mailto:submissions at fin.gov.on.ca>submissions at fin.gov.on.ca

Many thanks,

Chris Winter


Stand Up for Conservation
www.weconserve.ca  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://list.web.net/archives/greenon-l/attachments/20051215/999d0403/attachment-0001.html
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: a9adb1.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 15972 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://list.web.net/archives/greenon-l/attachments/20051215/999d0403/a9adb1-0001.jpg