Bill 14 explained in plain English
No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2022
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
Bill 14 enacts three new laws requiring the Ontario government to develop a health action plan for climate change impacts, establish a climate strategy for the public sector with emissions reduction targets, and create a parliamentary committee to propose solutions to climate-related threats.
Bill 14, the No Time to Waste Act (Plan for Climate Action and Jobs), 2022, creates three new Ontario laws. The first law, the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2022, requires Ontario's Minister of Health to develop a strategic action plan by August 2024 to prepare the province's health and public health systems for health risks caused by climate change. These risks include extreme heat, new diseases, air quality problems, and flooding. The Minister must establish a new Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat to help develop and carry out the plan, and a science advisory board to provide expert advice. The plan must be updated every four years. The action plan will address how to protect vulnerable populations, set up health care projects, fund public health units, and monitor health impacts. The second law, the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2022, requires the government to create a strategy by August 2023 for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from public sector activities. The strategy must cap emissions within 12 months and then reduce them by at least 5 per cent each year until they reach net zero. It also sets energy efficiency targets for new public buildings. The government must publish annual reports on energy consumption and emissions reductions. The third law, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2022, establishes a new parliamentary committee with up to nine members from the Legislature. The committee must develop a comprehensive plan to address climate-related threats to Ontario's society, environment, and economy, with special attention to impacts on Indigenous, racialized, and low-income people. The committee must submit its report within six months of the law coming into force. All three laws come into effect on the day this Bill receives Royal Assent.
- Creates the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2022, which requires the Minister of Health to develop and publish a strategic action plan by August 2024 to prepare Ontario's health systems for health risks caused by climate change
- Requires the strategic action plan to address specific health risks including extreme heat, vector-borne diseases, novel contagious diseases, air quality problems, storms, flooding, and water quality impacts
- Requires the plan to identify vulnerable communities, communicate strategies to public health organizations and the public, fund research on climate and mental/physical health, and identify critical health care infrastructure projects
- Requires the strategic action plan to include monitoring systems for water-borne and food-borne diseases, respiratory health, extreme temperature impacts, air pollution effects, mental health impacts of extreme weather, and food insecurity
- Establishes the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat to assist with developing, revising, and implementing the health action plan
- Establishes a science advisory board (10-20 members with expertise in public health or climate science) to advise the Minister on climate and health science
- Requires the action plan to be reviewed and updated every four years starting four years after Royal Assent
- Creates the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2022, which requires the government to establish a strategy by August 2023 for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from public sector operations
- Requires the public sector strategy to cap emissions within 12 months of the strategy taking effect, then reduce emissions by a minimum of 5 per cent annually until reaching net zero
- Requires new public buildings starting construction two years after Royal Assent to use at least 50 per cent less energy than comparable private sector buildings, and buildings starting construction five years after Royal Assent must have net zero energy consumption
- Requires the government to establish programs to retrofit existing public buildings and make government vehicles more environmentally friendly
- Requires the government to develop purchasing guidelines for public sector procurement that consider and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Requires annual public reports on public sector energy consumption, energy reductions, and energy use in new or retrofitted facilities
- Creates the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2022, which establishes a new parliamentary committee with up to nine members, equally drawn from recognized parties and independent members
- Requires the Select Committee to develop a comprehensive proposal to address climate-change related threats to Ontario's society, environment, and economy within six months of Royal Assent, with specific attention to threats facing Indigenous, racialized, and low-income Ontarians
- Ontario's Ministry of Health and health care professionals
- Ontario's public health units and community health organizations
- Health care facilities and hospitals across Ontario
- Indigenous peoples, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities
- Black and racialized communities
- Low-income and vulnerable populations
- Migrants, refugees, and displaced persons
- All Ontario government ministries and public sector organizations
- Public sector facility managers (responsible for energy efficiency in government buildings)
- Ontario government vehicle fleet operators
- Municipalities responsible for public health
- Members of the Legislative Assembly (who will serve on or work with the Select Committee)
- The general public in Ontario (who will receive information about climate health risks and have access to public reports)
- Members of the scientific community and climate experts
- The Minister of Health must develop a strategic action plan addressing climate-related health risks within two years of Royal Assent
- The strategic action plan must be published on the Government of Ontario website
- The Minister must review and update the action plan every four years
- The Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat must assist with developing, revising, and implementing the health action plan
- The science advisory board must provide scientific and technical advice to the Minister on climate and health impacts
- The government must establish a public sector strategy to cap emissions and reduce them by at least 5 per cent annually until net zero is achieved
- New public sector buildings starting construction two years after Royal Assent must use at least 50 per cent less energy than comparable private sector buildings
- New public sector buildings starting construction five years after Royal Assent must achieve net zero energy consumption
- The government must establish programs to retrofit public sector facilities and vehicles to reduce environmental impact
- The government must develop purchasing guidelines that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from public sector procurement
- The responsible Minister must annually prepare and make available to the public reports on public sector energy consumption and emissions reductions
- The Select Committee on the Climate Crisis must prepare a report within six months of Royal Assent proposing solutions to climate-related threats
- The Minister of Health must consult with Indigenous, Métis, Black communities, municipalities, public health organizations, scientists, health care providers, and vulnerable communities when developing the action plan
- Public health units and health care facilities must be provided with funding and guidance to develop climate adaptation plans
- August 30, 2022: First Reading of Bill 14
- Within two years of Royal Assent (by approximately August 2024): The Minister of Health must develop and publish the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan
- Within one year of Royal Assent (by approximately August 2023): The government must establish the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector
- Strategy takes effect: No later than one year after Royal Assent (by approximately August 2023)
- Within 12 months after the Strategy takes effect: Public sector emissions must be capped
- Two years after Royal Assent: Energy efficiency requirements begin applying to new public sector facilities (50 per cent less energy than comparable private buildings)
- Four years after Royal Assent: First review and update of the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan is required
- Five years after Royal Assent: Net zero energy consumption requirement begins applying to new public sector facilities
- Six months after Royal Assent: The Select Committee on the Climate Crisis must submit its report with proposals to address climate threats
- Every four years after the first four-year mark: The Health Action Plan must be reviewed and updated
- Annually: The government must publish reports on public sector energy consumption and emissions reductions
- Upon Royal Assent: All three new laws come into force
- The bill requires funding to be provided to public health units and health care facilities to help them assess vulnerabilities and develop climate adaptation plans, but the amount or source of funding is not specified
- The bill requires government programs to retrofit public sector facilities and vehicles to reduce environmental impact, but specific budget amounts are not provided
- The bill requires annual government reports on public sector energy consumption and emissions, which will require resources to prepare and audit, but costs are not specified
- The establishment of the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat and science advisory board will require government resources, but funding amounts are not specified in the bill
- The bill text does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with the requirements in the three new acts
- The bill allows the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations to govern implementation and compliance, but no specific penalties are detailed in the bill
- Reports on public sector energy consumption must be audited in accordance with regulations (to be prescribed), but audit consequences are not specified in the bill
- The bill does not specify the exact funding amounts for health adaptation plans or public sector retrofit programs
- The bill does not detail specific penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with the requirements in the three new acts
- The science advisory board composition details are limited; the bill specifies 10-20 members but does not specify appointment criteria beyond requiring expertise in public health, health care, or climate science
- The bill does not specify what specific measures will be included in government purchasing guidelines or how greenhouse gas emissions from proposals will be measured (these details are to be set by regulations)
- The bill does not specify the composition or leadership structure of the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat beyond stating it will be established
- The Select Committee must develop a comprehensive proposal, but the bill does not specify what form this proposal will take or whether it will be binding on the government
- The bill does not specify what happens after the Select Committee submits its report in six months
- The bill allows regulations to prescribe additional health monitoring matters and goals, but these regulations have not yet been made
- The bill does not specify the exact percentage of greenhouse gas emissions above which proposals can be disqualified under purchasing guidelines (only that it shall not exceed 10 per cent)
- The definition of 'average comparable new private sector facility' for energy consumption comparisons is not provided in the bill; regulations will determine this
- The bill does not specify how the government will achieve the 5 per cent annual emissions reduction target or what mechanisms will be used to enforce this
A new Ontario law is created that requires the Minister of Health to develop a strategic action plan to prepare the province's health systems for climate-related health risks, establish a health secretariat and science advisory board, and update the plan every four years.
Source: Schedule 1, sections 1-9
A new Ontario law is created that requires the government to establish a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from public sector operations by at least 5 per cent annually until net zero is reached, set energy efficiency targets for new buildings, and publish annual reports on energy consumption and emissions.
Source: Schedule 2, sections 1-6
A new Ontario law is created that establishes a parliamentary committee with up to nine members to develop a comprehensive proposal within six months to address climate-change related threats to Ontario, with attention to impacts on Indigenous, racialized, and low-income people.
Source: Schedule 3, sections 1-5
The definition of 'public sector' used in the Climate Strategy law is the same definition used in this existing act.
Source: Schedule 2, section 1 (Definitions)
The public sector climate strategy includes reducing emissions from the integrated power system as defined in this act.
Source: Schedule 2, section 2(3), paragraph 1, subparagraph iii
The Environment Minister (responsible for administering this act) works with the Health Minister in directing the Climate Crisis and Health Secretariat.
Source: Schedule 1, section 4(2) (Definition)
The regulatory approval process under Part III of this act does not apply to the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector, allowing the government more flexibility in establishing and updating the strategy.
Source: Schedule 2, section 2(6)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textProcess Snapshot
Vote Summary
Representative Voting Breakdown
Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.
| Representative | Role | Riding | Party | Vote | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Peter TabunsSponsor MPP | MPP | Toronto—Danforth | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Don Valley East | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Parkdale—High Park | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Waterloo | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa West—Nepean | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Spadina—Fort York | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Nickel Belt | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mushkegowuk—James Bay | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Sudbury | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Niagara Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | St. Catharines | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oshawa | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Toronto—St. Paul's | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Ottawa Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Ottawa South | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Toronto Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Thunder Bay—Superior North | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa—Vanier | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Davenport | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Beaches—East York | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Algoma—Manitoulin | Independent | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Guelph | Green Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Hamilton Mountain | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | London West | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kiiwetinoong | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Don Valley West | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kingston and the Islands | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | London North Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Humber River—Black Creek | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Niagara Falls | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Brampton West | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Windsor—Tecumseh | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Essex | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Agincourt | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Markham—Unionville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Cambridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Simcoe—Grey | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke—Lakeshore | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Richmond Hill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Peterborough—Kawartha | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Scarborough Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Mississauga—Malton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Oakville North—Burlington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Carleton | Independent | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton East | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Northumberland—Peterborough South | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Flamborough—Glanbrook | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oxford | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Timmins | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Parry Sound—Muskoka | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Kenora—Rainy River | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Simcoe North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Thunder Bay—Atikokan | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Vaughan—Woodbridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Hamilton East—Stoney Creek | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Streetsville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Markham—Stouffville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Pickering—Uxbridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton South | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Niagara West | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Willowdale | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oakville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | King—Vaughan | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Dufferin—Caledon | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Durham | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Chatham-Kent—Leamington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Nipissing | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Rouge Park | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kitchener South—Hespeler | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga East—Cooksville | Independent | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Thornhill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Markham—Thornhill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Whitby | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Perth—Wellington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Kanata—Carleton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Lambton—Kent—Middlesex | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Burlington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Milton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Ajax | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Sarnia—Lambton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Eglinton—Lawrence | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Sault Ste. Marie | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Mississauga—Lakeshore | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Erin Mills | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Glengarry—Prescott—Russell | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Bay of Quinte | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Don Valley North | Independent | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Brantford—Brant | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced