Baloney Meter: Coal curbing benefits claim mostly accurate, say experts
OTTAWA — “The proposed amendments will result in 260 avoided premature deaths, 40,000 fewer asthma episodes, and 190,000 fewer days of breathing difficulty and reduced activity — resulting in health benefits of $1.2 billion, from 2019 to 2055.” — Environment and Climate Change Canada, Feb. 16, 2018 on the effects of proposed regulations aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired electricity plants.
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The federal Liberal government says its new regulations to phase out power plants fired by coal and natural gas will cost more than $2.2 billion, but potentially save Canadians thousands of trips to the doctor and the country billions in reduced health care costs.
The draft regulations are aimed at accelerating to 2030 the phase-out of coal-fired electricity plants, and setting new emissions requirements for new natural gas-fired plants or coal plants converted to run on natural gas.