Ontario Seeks Supreme Court Review of Youth-Led Climate Challenge

The case could set a precedent on whether governments have constitutional obligations to address climate change under the Canadian Charter.

Ontario has requested the Supreme Court of Canada to hear a youth-led constitutional challenge of the province's climate plan, marking a potential landmark case on climate and Charter rights.
Seven young plaintiffs argue that Ontario's weakened emissions targets violate their rights to life and equality under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The case stems from the Ford government's 2018 repeal of Ontario's cap-and-trade system and adoption of less ambitious emissions targets, which critics claim allow significantly higher emissions.
Ontario's highest court ruled in October to send the case back to a lower court for a new hearing, leaving open the possibility of a successful constitutional challenge.
The Supreme Court's decision to take the case could clarify the extent of governmental obligations to combat climate change and is being closely monitored by legal experts across Canada.