Rainbow District School Board out $1.29M now that cap-and-trade is out

A Sudbury school board now has $1.29 million less to work with after the province cancelled the cap-and-trade program.

Last Friday, Ontario's new Tory government cancelled a $100-million fund that was supposed to be earmarked for school repairs across the province. The cut comes as a result of Doug Ford's campaign promise to scrap cap-and-trade.

School boards were told that the program, called the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, would be eliminated and only work contracted on or before July 3 would be covered.

"We were planning on doing some upgrades in our schools," Dennis Bazinet, superintendent of business with the Rainbow District School Board said.

'Proceeding very cautiously'

"So because the dollars had not yet been committed, in terms of contracts signed, we are losing that funding."

Bazinet says the board had hoped to do lighting upgrades and upgrade building automation systems to increase energy efficiency in schools.

He says the board expected the funding would be reduced with the announcement that cap-and-trade was being cancelled.

"We didn't expect the total clawback," he said.

"Given what has happened with the ministry in this particular area, we are concerned that any of the commitments that have to do with our capital projects may be under review. Therefore, we are proceeding very cautiously in the event that there is further bad news."