Toronto's climate action plan is missing a major tool to lower emissions, experts say

Environmental experts are calling out the City of Toronto for not including a what they say is a key climate tool in its five-year climate action plan.

The Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) is highlighting the lack of building emission performance standards (BEPS) in the plan. BEPS are regulations that set emission limits for new and existing buildings.

How-Sen Chong, TEA’s climate campaigner, told CBC Toronto such standards are one of the most significant policy tools as they would help the city cut emissions more efficiently.

“In order for us to meet our 2040 climate targets, we're going to need good policies to help people who live in those buildings and who work in those buildings be able to cut those emissions down,” he said.

Bryan Purcell, vice-president of policy and programs at the Atmospheric Fund, told CBC Toronto he was also disappointed the BEPS are not included in the city’s plan.

“Buildings are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto, accounting for over half of the emissions,” he said. “Reducing emissions from buildings is absolutely key to reaching the city's climate targets and building a more resilient city.”

The city’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy was adopted by council in 2021 and includes a goal of net zero emissions by 2040. The proposed action plan was released by city staff on Friday and outlines what actions the city plans to take to reduce emissions between 2026 and 2030.

The plan is set to be considered by the infrastructure and environment committee (IEC) on Dec. 4 ahead of the next city council meeting, beginning on Dec. 16.

In a report released ahead of the committee meeting, city staff reasoned that the emissions standards could not be included in the action plan due to “a number of global, national and provincial actions.”

According to the report, those actions include the federal government cancelling its consumer carbon tax in April and not renewing funding for building energy retrofits in its recent budget.

TEA also points to a lack of support for emission reduction strategies from the province. 

But Chong feels leaders at the municipal level should be pushing back against other levels of government going back on climate commitments. 

“People want their local leaders to take action … not walking away from their climate commitments,” he said. 

He also noted a recent TEA poll conducted by Abacus Data shows that 84 per cent of Toronto residents support green building standards as a climate action tool.