Freedom from Dirty Oil: Ontario’s Tar Sands Decision [pdf]
January 18th, 2009
The recent delay of the "Trailbreaker" project, a pipeline that would tie Ontario's future oil supply to the tar sands, the most carbon-heavy oil in the world, makes room for green alternatives.
Ontario has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its transportation sector and is seeking opportunities to stimulate the economy by creating “green” jobs in new industries. Producing a barrel of tar sands oil creates three times more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil. Meanwhile, the tar sands are the fastest growing source of emissions in Canada and the reason for climate policy gridlock in Ottawa. Tar sands production also destroys large areas of boreal forest and creates toxic tailings lakes so big they can be observed from space.
There is a better way. Rather than increasing consumption of tar sands oil, Ontario can create green jobs, send less money out of province for oil, and build a more sustainable transportation system.
