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Ontario And California Team Up To Curb Climate Change, Boost Stem Cell Research

Posted on: Monday, 4 June 2007, 09:00 CDT

TORONTO, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced that the governments of Ontario and California are joining forces to fight cancer and climate change.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Premier McGuinty at the Ontario legislature, where they signed a Memorandum of Understanding on climate change.

"Both Ontario and California have been taking action on climate change by introducing progressive policies and encouraging innovation," said Premier McGuinty. "Canada's most populous province and America's most populous state have joined together to tackle one of our greatest challenges - as business partners, as places that share a legacy of innovation and progressive thinking, and as friends."

"Like California, Ontario is leading the way in recognizing that we must take action now to fight global warming and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "States, provinces, regions and countries must all work together to find solutions that both protect our environment and grow our economy at the same time. We need to engage all sectors of our economy, including international trade - and encourage the best, brightest and most creative minds to work together to tackle global climate change."

Under the historic accord, Ontario and California are partnering to fight global warming by coordinating policies on fuel standards. Ontario will require producers to reduce carbon emissions from transportation fuels by 10 per cent by 2020 - the equivalent of removing 700,000 cars from the roads.

This approach allows the market, rather than the government, to determine how to reduce emissions at the lowest cost and in the most consumer-friendly way.

Other highlights of the cross-border accord include: - Collaborating on energy efficiency programs - Coordinating efforts to switch to clean energy technologies, promote green buildings and increase efficiency - Working together on national, North American and international emissions trading - Exploring market-based mechanisms such as expanding the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative to encourage an effective carbon market.

Premier McGuinty and Governor Schwarzenegger also met at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, where they agreed to back promising new stem cell research that will help uncover new therapies for cancer.

The McGuinty government is investing $30 million to support the new Cancer Stem Cell Consortium, which will be headquartered at the MaRS centre. Working with colleagues in California, scientists in Ontario will investigate new therapies for cancer based on stem cell research. The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research will oversee the collaboration efforts.

"These initiatives unite some of the best scientists in the world and it shows what we can do when we work together to solve big problems," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I also want to offer my deepest gratitude to the scientists and doctors in California and Canada who are using our resources to find new therapies and cures. These innovators are adding new rays of hope for the millions of people around the world who suffer from diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer and multiple sclerosis."

"California and Ontario researchers pioneered the discovery of cancer stem cells," said Premier McGuinty. "Through continued collaboration, we're going to keep working, dreaming and building together to fight this terrible disease and renew hope for a lasting cure."

Ministry of Economic Development and Trade

CONTACT: Ray Lancashire, Media Relations, Invest Ontario, Ministry ofEconomic Development and Trade, 900 Bay Street, 5th Floor, Hearst Block,Toronto, Ontario, M7A 2E1, Tel: (416) 326-1608, Fax: (416) 314-4589, E-mail:ray.lancashire@ontario.ca

Source: PRNewswire

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