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Mayor Says Toronto Will be North America’s Greenest City

11:45 AM EDT on March 27, 2007

toronto_bike_rack.jpg

Toronto Mayor David Miller vowed last week to make Toronto "the leading environmental city in North America." The Toronto Star reports:

Mayor David Miller is pledging to slash the city's greenhouse gas emissionsby 30 per cent by 2020 and a whopping 80 per cent by 2050.

Millerand city council will unveil a plan today that sets ambitious targetsfor reducing emissions that lead to climate change, increasingso-called green energy usage and encouraging retrofitting of city homesand businesses to make them more energy efficient.

Miller said the city could levy higher taxes against SUV owners than owners of hybrid vehicles. He has also talked about taxes on parking lots in areas that are well served by public transit, including the downtown core. "You need to make simple changes that encourage people to change their behaviour," he said. "We will be creative, and we will offer creative suggestions to Torontonians. Some will be radical."

Photo: William Self/Flickr

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