On December 7, 2015, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba signed a memorandum of understanding at the Paris climate talks to formalize the intent of all three provinces to link their cap and trade systems. Under the Western Climate Initiative, the three provinces’ cap-and-trade systems would then link to California’s cap and trade program.
Quebec’s cap and trade system has operating since 2013 and is already linked with California’s cap and trade program. Ontario is in the process of finalizing the details of its cap and trade program, which is expected to come online in 2017. When it released province’s new climate change strategy on December 3, 2015 – Climate Change and Green Economy Action Plan – Manitoba confirmed its intent to introduce a cap and trade program for 20 large emitters. Speaking in Paris, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger said he believes more states and sub-national governments can be convinced to join them in linking cap and trade system, who can learn from each other’s experiences.