policy

Retrofit Services Manager, Kaitlin Carroll discusses an upcoming heat pump installation with Toronto Community Housing residents. Photo by Nhan Ng Productions

Extreme heat bylaws: Perspectives from our retrofit services manager

10/2024 - Our latest retrofit diary from Kaitlin Carroll, Retrofit Services Manager, offers practical considerations and explores how thoughtful planning can ensure extreme heat bylaws benefit both building owners and tenants.

Calling on cities to protect a clean electricity future

3/2024 - On February 16, the federal government released a discussion paper, proposing several changes to the CER. While some of these would provide helpful flexibility in the regulation, altogether they would represent a significant undermining of the policy. Municipalities have a powerful influence and can support the CER in three ways.

How not to be discouraged by this year’s carbon emissions inventory

11/2023 - There is growing interest across the GTHA in adopting key climate mitigation technologies, and the best news is that they’re now all more cost effective than the fossil fuels. 

A new building policy approach that’s working

11/2023 - Existing building performance has been historically challenging to regulate, but that’s changing with the recent proliferation of mandatory building performance standards (BPS) across North America.

Ontario’s once-in-a generation opportunity to modernize and decarbonize our electricity grid

11/2022 - Since exploring how decarbonizing the grid would impact various communities, TAF commissioned a new report showing the most affordable way to meet rising electricity demand is through a mix of energy efficiency, solar, wind and storage.

Doug Ford’s new housing bill guts green building law he voted for as Toronto councillor, say critics

11/2022 - TORONTO STAR - "The Building More Homes Faster Act includes clauses that will inadvertently make future homes more unaffordable and less efficient for Ontarians," says Bryan Purcell.

Ontario’s next gas plant scandal

10/2022 - On October 7th, Ontario’s Minister of Energy directed the IESO to procure 1,500 megawatts of new natural gas plants to generate electricity. This decision was taken without any public consultation, based on a short IESO report with no financial analysis or comparison of other pathways. Amidst increasing fossil fuel prices and plummeting costs of readily available clean solutions, investing in new gas plants would be environmentally and fiscally reckless. But it’s not a done deal.

Dear election candidates: Climate action means working across issues and regional lines

10/2022 - To handle the complex and intersectional issues that face our region, hopeful new leaders will need to follow the carbon and collaborate.

How this small Ontario city is leading on public EV charging

6/2022 - Perhaps surprisingly, Burlington, Ontario has more charging stations per capita than any other city in the GTHA, with over 30 public stations per 50,000 people. I interviewed Lynn Robichaud, Manager of Environmental Sustainability at the City of Burlington, about what it takes to lead on EV charging installation and management.

Fugitive methane emissions in Ontario are double the reported rate

5/2022 - There is growing consensus that ‘fugitive methane’ (gas leakage that occurs during the extraction and transmission of fossil fuels) is drastically underestimated -- but by how much? A new TAF report provides updated guidelines to account for the full life cycle emissions of natural gas, badly needed as we face crucial infrastructure decisions in Ontario.

For 2 years, climate resources shifted in COVID-19. Now, cities like Hamilton look to get on track

4/2022 - CBC HAMILTON - In Hamilton, groups like EH and Hamilton 350 say that over the past two years, the city has fallen behind on its plans to combat climate change — and it's time to get on track

Ontario Election 2022: Key climate action priorities

4/2022 - Ontario election is just 6 weeks away - ample time to influence the parties’ climate action platforms. Get tools and inspiration on what to ask the candidates.