Jumping On The Green Bandwagon

If beating your wife became popular Mayor Miller would come out against it but would see how he could impose a tax so you could do it. Toronto's emmissions are lower and will get lower as businesses flee the city. Buildings seem to be the culprit so maybe a future council will look at heat recovery incineration plants something Miller and his left wing cohorts will not do.

Toronto smog plan may raise downtown car costs
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | 2:38 PM ET
CBC News

Downtown Toronto's parking is already pricey, but motorists may soon be forking out more on their trips in the city's core.

Climate change experts and city politicians met Tuesday to discuss ways for the city to cut down on smog — and the key focus was on making cars a less attractive option.

Some of the options mentioned included higher parking fees for larger vehicles, replacing car lanes with bicycle lanes, and widening sidewalks.

Another suggested option was a congestion charge like the one used in London, England, where they charge £8, just over $18 Cdn, daily for motorists to drive in a downtown zone.

The program began in 2003, but the congestion charge zone roughly doubled on Monday with city transit officials touting how the toll has helped fight pollution by causing more people to take public transit.

Motorists pay on the phone, in person or via text messages online, but face a steep fine if the payment's late. Cameras read licence plates as vehicles enter the zone.

Buildings worst polluters

Toronto's parks and environment committee, which invited seven local experts on climate change to present their views, also heard at Tuesday's meeting that cars are not the No. 1 climate change culprit.

City buildings were named as the worst offenders, because of emissions from running appliances, as well as from heating and air conditioning.

Experts encouraged diminishing pollution by pushing for energy retrofits, green roofs and solar panels.

However, the committee also heard that Toronto emits less carbon dioxide per person than both the provincial average and the national average, according to Mary Pickering, Toronto Atmospheric Fund's executive director. The statistics were from the group's 2004 analysis of carbon emissions in the city.

The lower percentage is partly because as a city, Toronto is denser, more efficient and has little heavy industry.

One commentator said changes in Toronto will have a small effect on the global scale, but it's about setting a good example so others follow in our footsteps.