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“City Council, in 2021, adopted the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy (NZS), a target of net zero GHG emissions community-wide by 2040, and the short term implementation plan for 2022-2025. The NZS Action Plan for 2026-2030, outlined in this report, builds on the work done to date and retains the net zero GHG ambition but also recognizes that action is being carried forward under a different policy context and different economic and social conditions.”

Amidst the intensifying effects of climate change, for the first time in many years, the humidex (combining temperature and humidity) reached the dangerous threshold of 46 degrees C. In addition to pool closures and limitations to the capacities of Project Water to deliver bottles to unhoused populations, the city believes additional measures were needed to keep Torontonians safe from the effects of extreme heat.
 

Toronto’s climate plan TransformTO aims for net-zero by 2040 but overlooks the city’s powerful financial sector. A U of T study found that Bay Street ranks as the 5th largest global climate polluter (behind China, the United States, Russia, and Japan) due to its fossil fuel financing—emitting nearly 100 times more than the City itself. Recently, five major Canadian banks withdrew from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, raising concerns about accountability. Despite new voluntary climate disclosure standards, stronger action is needed. A proposed Sustainable Finance Hub would help Toronto address climate risks, promote credible climate transition plans, and boost investment in clean energy—similar to initiatives in the UK and Australia.

“The City of Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy indicates that meeting our climate goals and reaping the benefits to health, equity, prosperity, and resilience, is heavily dependent on the availability of affordable, reliable, low-carbon electricity. The City identified that the need for all parties to work together to transition Ontario’s electricity system away from natural gas to a resilient system focused on low-carbon energy sources, distributed local renewable energy generation, storage, and energy efficiency.”

“The Portlands Energy Centre is a 550 megawatt fossil natural gas electricity generating station located in the Port Lands. In September 2023, proposed upgrades to the facility were announced, which would expand its electricity generating capacity by 50 megawatts.”

In May 2023, “City Council adopted “A Clean Energy Future for Toronto” which expressed City Council’s objection to any increase in the burning of fossil fuels in the City. Spurred on by a Provincial proposal to increase emissions at the Portlands Energy Centre, this Item underlined the commitment of the City to its climate goals. The Provincial Government then announced that their interpretation was that the increased emissions from the Portlands Energy Centre would not be subject to the requirement to obtain municipal consent.”

“The Government of Ontario is moving forward with plans to increase electricity generation in our province by including in the mix additional natural gas-fired power production despite the increase in greenhouse gasses this will bring. The Electricity Distributors Association, of which Toronto Hydro is a member, has produced studies showing that investment in conservation and efficiency would meet the Province's energy goals at a much lower price than adding more natural gas-fired power generation. Locally the new provincial policy could mean burning more fossil fuels at the Portlands Energy Centre on our waterfront when the City of Toronto has repeatedly committed to combatting climate change through reduced emissions.”

“Continued ambitious climate actions and programs will be critical to reaching the City’s 2025 target of 45 per cent GHG emissions reduction from 1990 levels. Further, these efforts must be scaled up to reach Toronto’s community-wide future targets of a 65 per cent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2040.”

“The climate crisis grows more urgent every year. The window to make significant and lasting change is disappearing. Action must happen immediately and it must be at the necessary scale required to respond to this crisis.” In response, the Net Zero Strategy triggers new and accelerated implementation actions to drive down community-wide emissions, particularly in the short term, and establishes the trajectory needed to reach net zero by 2040.

Building on the city-wide work embodied in TransformTO, the City has developed a comprehensive Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy that will chart a path to a decarbonized and net zero emissions building sector. The Strategy presents the background information and set of recommended building-scale actions and city-wide policies necessary for the City of Toronto to transform its existing building sector.

“Urgent action is needed to establish a robust network of electric vehicle charging stations; and to achieve carbon-neutral targets by 2050, Canada Post must greatly accelerate the electrification of its fleet. This will help continue to push Toronto toward its goal to eliminate GHG emissions.”

“Hundreds of governments around the world and major cities across Canada have recognized the urgency of the climate threat by declaring a climate emergency. It is time for Toronto to do the same and to take bolder action to meet our goals of reducing emissions and building a City that is greener, healthier and resilient.”