Statement on City of Toronto’s Move Towards Fossil Fuel Ad Ban – Environmental Defence

Statement by Emilia Belliveau, Energy Transition Program Manager

Montréal/Tiohtià:ke | Traditional, unceded lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka/Mohawk Nation, a gathering place for many First Nations, including the Anishinaabeg –  Congratulations to Toronto for leading the fight against fossil fuel advertising and greenwashing. This week in Toronto two important motions by city Councillor Dianne Saxe passed that will lead to limits on the oil and gas industry’s pervasive and misleading advertising. Toronto has recognized how damaging fossil fuel advertising is in the face of the climate crisis and taken action into its own hands. This sets an important precedent for other Canadian cities and municipalities.

The first motion, adopted on Tuesday by the Toronto Transit Commission Board, will eliminate misleading advertising and greenwashing by oil and gas companies on public transit operated by the TTC). In recent years, oil and gas groups like the Pathways Alliance and Canada Action Network have advertised on the TTC. The second motion, which passed at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on Friday, directs the City Manager to develop a policy to decline fossil fuel advocacy advertising on city property. It will move to city council for a vote on October 9th. These are both important steps in limiting fossil fuel advertising.

Oil and gas companies have been engaged in a decades-long campaign to mislead the public about the realities of climate change and their role in fueling the crisis. Limiting their ability to spread misinformation is critical for achieving climate progress.

Environmental Defence spoke in favour of the motion today at Committee and would like to congratulate City Council, and the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, for their excellent work moving this issue forward.

Background Information

• Letter to the Toronto City Council from Environmental Defence in support of the motion.

ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Midhat Moini, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca