(Toronto, Ont.—October 6, 2025) Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict and the Chiefs of Ontario’s Leadership Council have issued the following statement regarding the decision to discontinue Chief’s of Ontario’s judicial reviews of the federal Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act:
“Recently, our Leadership Council passed a motion to discontinue our judicial review of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, originally filed on November 3, 2023, and February 19, 2025,” said Ontario Regional Chief Benedict. “As we have seen with Canada’s recent elimination of the broader carbon tax, First Nations are now beginning to receive long overdue carbon charge rebate payments.”
In November 2023, COO launched a judicial review in response to the government’s failure to exempt First Nations from the carbon charge. The review raised several issues about the federal carbon pricing regime, specifically its disproportionate and unfair impact on First Nations people who did not receive the Canada Carbon Rebate.
“The judicial review was successful in securing an increase of the rebate for First Nations’ governments from one per cent to two per cent for 2024-25. Now, our communities have begun to see the $296.1 million they are rightfully owed returned to them. The complete discontinuation of the individual carbon charge has also helped alleviate financial pressures faced by many First Nations and their members.”
“First Nations experience the direct impacts of climate change every single day. We are the caretakers of our lands, waters, wildlife and all living things in our traditional territories. First Nations are not responsible for the climate crisis; rather, we are playing a leadership role in addressing it across Ontario and Canada. We should not be forced to carry the burden of policies that do not reflect the realities of our communities.”
“We welcome Canada’s decision to end the individual price on carbon and to work with us to ensure our communities can rightfully benefit from the payments they made into the system. We are pleased to establish a renewed relationship with Environment and Climate Change Canada in our collective fight against the climate crisis, and we look forward to working in collaboration with the federal government in promoting First Nations’ participation in the clean energy economy.”
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The Chiefs of Ontario supports all First Nations in Ontario as they assert their sovereignty, jurisdiction, and their chosen expression of nationhood. Follow Chiefs of Ontario on Facebook, X, Instagram, or LinkedIn @ChiefsOfOntario
Media Contact:
Isak Vaillancourt
Communications Manager
Chiefs of Ontario
Telephone: 416-819-8184
Email: isak.vaillancourt@coo.org
