Incoming Premier Doug Ford quietly axes Green Ontario Fund
(The Star Food)

Incoming premier Doug Ford has quietly axed an environmental program to help homeowners get smart thermostats, energy-efficient windows and other retrofits to reduce their hydro bills and fight climate change.The $377-million Green Ontario Fund, financed by the proceeds of cap-and-trade auctions in which industries buy greenhouse gas pollution permits, is winding down.Launched last August by Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government, the program popularly known as Green ON was a not-for-profit provincial agency established to aid homeowners, renters and businesses save energy and shrink their carbon footprints. The program’s website was been reduced to one page Tuesday. Under the headline “The following programs are closed,” the site now lists everything from residential solar, window and insulation rebates to smart thermostats and programs for businesses.Contracts will be honoured if agreements have been signed with participating contractors for work to be completed by the end of August and rebate applications must be submitted by Sept. 30.The move follows Ford’s announcement Friday that Ontario will exit the cap-and trade program, which he considered ineffective and a cash grab that hurt businesses. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the premier-designate’s apparent lack of plan to fight climate change is alarming. “To imagine that we have no responsibility whatsoever to deal with the changing climate and the impact that it has on people and communities and the viability of our planet is putting your head in the sand,” Horwath said.Ford warned gasoline companies Tuesday they’d better pass along his promised 10-cent-a-litre price cut to motorists and tread carefully with long-weekend price hikes.“I’m going to be watching every move they make,” Ford said Tuesday during a break from his first meeting with the 76-member Progressive Conservative caucus at the legislature.“Let’s keep in mind w ...