ONTARIO : risques et occasions de la transition mondiale vers la carboneutralité

Ontario is well-positioned for the carbon-neutral transition due to its financial hub status and concentration of clean energy and bio-product companies. However, it faces significant risks, including a high number of vulnerable workers in the manufacturing sector, high public debt, and policy instability. While major investments are occurring in electric vehicle production and steel electrification, the province lacks long-term sectoral policies and a clear carbon-neutral grid strategy, which may hinder large-scale technology adoption and competitiveness compared to other provinces.

• Ontario has a high concentration of workers vulnerable to the energy transition, particularly in the traditional automotive manufacturing sector. Specific communities with high proportions of vulnerable workers include Tillsonburg (14%), Ingersoll (13%), and Woodstock (12%). Approximately 27% of these vulnerable workers are visible minorities and 3% are Indigenous.
• The province's financial and energy infrastructure present risks to its transition; Ontario has one of Canada's highest public debt-to-GDP ratios (44% in 2020-2021) and an increasing reliance on unabated natural gas electricity, which conflicts with carbon-neutral goals.
• Ontario hosts 276 companies active in transition markets, with the highest concentrations in clean electricity (32%), alternative proteins and ag-tech (16%), and bio-products and bioenergy (13%). The majority of these headquarters (58%) are located in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Significant investments are being made to decarbonize heavy industry and transport. ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Algoma Steel are investing in electrification to reduce annual GHG emissions by approximately 6 Mt by 2028, while automotive manufacturers (GM, Fiat, Ford, Honda) plan to invest over $5 billion in electric vehicle production.
• Policy instability has created uncertainty for investors. The 2018 cancellation of the Feed-in Tariff Program (affecting ~750 renewable energy contracts), the Cap-and-Trade Program, and the Electric Vehicle Incentive Program undermined confidence in the profitability of large-scale transformative investments.
• Ontario lags behind provinces like British Columbia and Quebec in adopting regulations and incentives to stimulate domestic demand for zero-emission vehicles and rigorous building codes, which may hinder the adoption of emerging technologies.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (n.d.). ONTARIO : risques et occasions de la transition mondiale vers la carboneutralité. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ontario-profile-FR.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. ONTARIO : risques et occasions de la transition mondiale vers la carboneutralité. n.d. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ontario-profile-FR.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=ONTARIO : risques et occasions de la transition mondiale vers la carboneutralité |url=https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ontario-profile-FR.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitutendontario, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{ONTARIO : risques et occasions de la transition mondiale vers la carboneutralité}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, url = {https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Ontario-profile-FR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }