November 24, 2015 – The Province of Ontario has passed legislation to permanently ban coal-fired electricity generation in the province.

The Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act prevents new and existing facilities from burning coal for the sole purpose of generating electricity. It sets maximum fines for anyone who violates the ban, and “enshrines the health and environmental benefits of making coal-fired electricity illegal” in law.

“Ontario’s ban on coal-fired power is an important success story that I will be proud to share with world leaders at the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties in Paris next week,” said Glen Murray, Ontario’s minister of the environment and climate change.