Ontario not on track to meet greenhouse gas emissions target: auditor report

Ontario is not on track to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets because the issue is not a government priority.

That’s the finding of Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk, who released a series of environmental value-for-money audits released Wednesday.

Two years ago, the government set a goal of reducing emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

Lysyk found the government is not focused enough on reducing fossil fuel use to hit that mark.

She says two government ministries and a key agency on the file neither assess or enforce building energy efficiency compliance, despite it being a major contributor to Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions.

In another audit, Lysyk says her office found numerous instances of the province not following rules under its own Environmental Bill of Rights.

The legislation created in 1993 enshrines the province’s responsibility to the environment and citizens’ participation indecision-making.