Are we being sent to climate hell in a handbasket?
We in Kawartha Lakes may be happy to say ‘so long’ to 2025, our year of extreme weather. The record-shattering snowfall. Then the Ice Storm (yes, with capitals), with massive destruction, lengthy power outages, and flooding. Then one heat wave after another, often over-layered with deadly wildfire smoke. And then extreme drought, which is still ongoing. Then, wildfires, no longer restricted to the north or other provinces.
Climate disasters come with a huge cost. The ice storm alone, which stretched from Grey Bruce to the Quebec border, cost more than $340 million in insured damages. But it’s generally acknowledged that for every dollar’s worth of damage covered by insurance, $3 to $4 dollars-worth is not covered. In spite of generous help from neighbours, emergency services, and the city, we all lost something. And that loss came with a cost.
Whether it was beloved trees that shielded us from sun and wind. Or damaged property and household goods, damage to business, lost work. From this will come hikes to insurance premiums, and higher utility fees and taxes to pay for climate impacts. And that’s just from the ice storm. What about the impact of heat, smoke and drought? How many ended up in hospital with heatstroke, heart issues, or asthma? Local farmers, no strangers to unpredictable weather, sweated to cut their losses from crisped crops and evaporated ponds. What household didn’t struggle to salvage kitchen gardens as wells dried up?
Perhaps the biggest thing that we lost was any confidence that life could be predictable, that we are safe. That we could trust that our governments are working to rein in climate pollution and building protections from climate impacts. We are experiencing what NATO characterizes as “climate breakdown,” an existential challenge that demands urgent attention and proactive strategies.
Seven years ago, Premier Doug Ford’s environment minister announced the ‘Made-in-Ontario Climate Plan.’
“Preserving and protecting our environment begins with a new vision for Ontario. One where hardworking taxpayers are protected and respected and where environmental stewardship connects with the people of this province. I am pleased to present the following made-in-Ontario plan to keep our province beautiful, by protecting our air, land and water…and supporting Ontarians to continue to do their share to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and helping communities and families prepare for climate change.”
What came to pass was much less. And now, after a third searing investigation of Ontario’s climate plan by the provincial Auditor General, the Ford government has pressed the delete button. It rammed through Bill 68, the cynically-named Plan to Protect Ontario Act. Amongst other things, this eliminated the requirement to set emission reduction targets, have a climate plan, and publicly report on progress. This also had the effect of derailing the re-opening of the climate court case being brought against the government by seven young people.
Ford’s office claims the government will continue to lower emissions, but evidence shows otherwise. According to the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, apart from the COVID-caused reduction, Ontario’s emissions rose steadily throughout this government’s tenure.
The Ford government has launched us on a dangerous trajectory, counter to all scientific evidence and in denial of what we experienced in 2025, a year likely to be harbinger of what is to come. Its actions stand offside to the landmark opinionrecently issued by the International Court of Justice, which stressed the responsibility of governments to take all measures within their power to prevent significant harm to the climate system and the environment. It characterized the climate crisis as “an existential problem of planetary proportions that imperils all forms of life and the very health of our planet.” It went on to say that there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable future for all”. The Ford government’s actions can only be seen as an utter dereliction of its duty of due diligence.
We need a genuine climate plan. One that works to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and with adaptation measures that build community resilience. Our lives and the lives of generations to come require this.
Moya Beall is a member of Seniors for Climate Action Now! Kawartha.
In matters of environmental sustainability I think that news media outlets have a responsibility to inform the public without relying on emotionally charged political language. Algoma Steel switching to electric arc seems relevant here but hasn’t been mentioned. War, human caused forest fires and arson have contributed more to climate change than government policy but somehow we always get back to Mr. Ford.
In his recent Notes, Bill Gates refutes what he called “Climate Doomerism”. Yes, he admits, climate changes and will continue to change and if we want to survive, we need to address it. But our demise is not imminent, the threat is not species existential, and we can afford to put human welfare and the welfare of the rest of life ahead of more aggressive climate goals.
I think Bill may be onto something. https://www.gatesnotes.com/work/accelerate-energy-innovation/reader/three-tough-truths-about-climate
No, we are not going to “Climate Hell in a Handbasket” because we’re more likely to starve to death from a weak Canadian economy, freeze to death in a tent because of housing unaffordabiity and have an 8 hour wait in the ER to be seen before we die from a cause other than Climate.
We’ve had 10 years of Justin Trudeau and the Greenpeace Activist focussing on climate change to the detriment of Canada’s economy.
Lets talk about the risks Canada and Canadians Face over the next 5 years, and lets focus on a plan that makes Canadians more prosperous now – with jobs, income, housing and affordability addressed. Go tell a family eating Kraft Dinner several times per week that we’re not going to meet our 2050 climate goals. I think they’ll care more about ketchup and some protein to add. And yes, they probably do care about the climate, but after their higher priority needs are met.
Lets keep our eye on the ball on the key risks for Canada and Canadians over the next 5 years.
Economic Risks
Trade Protectionism: The unpredictability of U.S. trade policy and potential new tariffs are a primary concern for Canadian businesses and a top downside risk for economic growth. A prolonged trade war could lead to a recession, higher unemployment, and significant disruption to integrated supply chains, particularly in the auto and energy sectors.
Household Debt and Housing Market Stress: Elevated interest rates are increasing borrowing costs, and a significant percentage of mortgages will be up for renewal by the end of 2026, potentially resulting in “payment shock” for many households. This, combined with high housing prices and a slowing population growth, could lead to higher delinquency rates and put strain on the financial system.
Slower Growth and Low Productivity: Canada faces challenges with persistent inflation, low productivity, and high government debt levels, which could lead to a sustained period of lower economic growth and downward social mobility for some Canadians.
Geopolitical and Security Risks
Geopolitical Instability: Global tensions and conflicts (e.g., related to China, Russia, Iran) are creating economic uncertainty and increasing the risk of politically motivated attacks against Canadian interests.
Cybersecurity and Foreign Interference: State-sponsored actors, particularly from China and Russia, are actively targeting Canada’s critical infrastructure, government networks, and private sector for espionage and disruptive activities. Ransomware attacks remain a top cybercrime threat to critical services like hospitals and power grids.
Weakening Alliances and Global Governance: A move away from multilateralism and a potential weakening of the Canada-U.S. security relationship could leave Canada more vulnerable on the global stage.
Environmental and Societal Risks
Climate Change Impacts: Extreme weather events such as wildfires, floods, and heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, causing massive economic losses, destroying infrastructure, and overwhelming emergency response capabilities. In some cases, this could make certain regions uninsurable and displace populations.
Misinformation and Social Fragmentation: The rise of AI-generated content and algorithms designed for emotional engagement are flooding the “information ecosystem” with disinformation, which could increase public distrust in institutions and lead to greater social fragmentation.
Healthcare System Strain: An aging population, labour shortages, and increased demand from climate-related health issues could push Canada’s healthcare systems beyond their capacity to provide daily care and respond to crises.
Clint Richardson Mar 13, 2013. We congregate in this artificial world of web forums and sites for mutually sympathetic support, ineffectually complaining to each other while in the real world, the alteration and poisoning of the entire ecosystem of planet Earth and indeed our now mineral-compounded and poisoned bodies continue without a physical real-world response from the people being poisoned. You see, government acts solely upon the legal consent of the people to its actions. And since silence is considered a form of passive consent, the chemical spraying of the skies moves onward and upward without any legal challenge whatsoever. https://libertysentinel.org/leading-astrophysicist-destroys-un-climate-agenda-with-explosive-research/