Bill 37, An Act respecting civil liability for climate-related harms / Projet de loi 37, Loi concernant la responsabilité civile à l’égard des dommages liés au climat.
To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Whereas: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that the warming of our climate is unequivocal and caused by human activities and impacts of climate change are causing extreme weather events that threaten our well-being and costs in Canada alone are estimated to be over $5 billion per year by 2020 and up to $43 billion per year by 2050.
Whereas: The 2018 joint audit, conducted by the federal Environment Commissioner with nine provincial auditors general, concluded neither governments in Ottawa nor the provinces have assessed the risks a changing climate poses to Ontario and have no real idea of the potential costs.
Whereas: Enhanced legal tools are required so that governments, businesses and individuals can ensure that coal, oil and gas producers contribute their fair share to paying for the harms to which their products contribute and for the necessary steps to prevent future harms.
Whereas: Peter Tabuns, MPP Bill 37 “Liability for Climate-Related Harms Act, 2018” provides that, fossil fuel producers are strictly liable for climate-related harms that occur in Ontario if the producer is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions at a globally detectable level.
Therefore, we the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly to immediately undertake the measures as outlined in into action Bill 37 the “Liability for Climate-Related Harms Act, 2018”