Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking all the people of Vaudreuil—Soulanges for granting me a second mandate in the House of Commons. I am eager to work hard for them in the months and years to come.
I would also like to congratulate my colleague from Northumberland—Peterborough South for having won his election.
The vast majority of Canadians voted for climate action in this past election, and our government is committed to moving forward with measures that will reduce our emissions and grow a clean economy. I look forward to working with all members in this place as we identify and move forward with solutions to tackle climate change. The Speech from the Throne made it very clear that our government will work with provinces and territories to find solutions, especially when it comes to climate change. Why? It is because Canadians are already feeling the impacts of climate change, from wildfires in the west to extreme flooding in the east. The costs of climate change are growing. I know this all too well, representing a riding that has experienced record flooding two out of the last three years.
Canadians know that we need to act. They want ambitious climate action. They want us to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a strong, low-carbon economy, and so do we. Canadians also recognize that when it is free to pollute, there will be more of it. That is why they support a price on carbon pollution. A growing number of governments and experts understand that carbon pricing is one of the most effective tools we have for tackling climate change and growing the clean economy. It incents Canadians to make clean choices, it helps to reduce emissions and it stimulates investments in climate action, including adaptation and clean innovation. That is why pricing carbon pollution is an essential part of our climate plan. The climate plan we developed with the provinces and territories offers them the flexibility to price carbon pollution in a way that makes sense for their circumstances. It also establishes a common standard to ensure that those plans are straight, stringent and effective, because establishing minimum national standards is integral to reducing nationwide greenhouse gas emissions.
We have worked hard to develop a price on carbon pollution pricing system that is practical and affordable, and that ensures Canadians are better off. When carbon pollution pricing went into effect across Canada, we ensured that all proceeds would be returned to the jurisdiction of origin. In fact, in the provinces and territories where the federal carbon pricing system is in place, such as Ontario, most families are getting more than they pay. This year, for example, an Ontario family of four received about $307 through the climate action incentive. Our plan demonstrates that we can tackle climate change, while at the same time leaving families better off.
As part of our plan, we also have an annual benchmarking assessment process. We asked the provinces and territories to provide information on their carbon pricing systems to determine whether they meet the federal standard. We have received Ontario's proposal to implement its own provincial carbon pollution pricing system for heavy industry, and we are assessing that proposal.
One of our priorities in putting a price on carbon pollution has been ensuring stability and certainty for businesses and investors. This ensures businesses can plan for the future. That is why the federal benchmark lays out a path for carbon pricing until 2022, and that is why we take any changes to the system for industrial emitters very seriously. The federal carbon pollution pricing system is in place in Ontario, and it is working. We are looking at Ontario's proposal, but we are doing our due diligence to make sure that carbon pricing remains stringent and effective.
We will continue to work with all jurisdictions, businesses, and indigenous peoples to advance the climate action Canadians expect.
