TORONTO – – "Gord Miller has a degree in plants and wants everyone in Ontario to pay more money to drive.”

Word for word, that is how Wikipedia sums up Ontario’s provincially appointed Environment Commissioner, and yesterday, when Miller released his annual Greenhouse Gas Progress Report 2010, Wikipedia proved that it can sometimes be a pretty reliable source.

Miller’s report — an annual assessment of whether the provincial government is meeting its own environmental standards — says that the province should implement more road tolls and carbon taxes to offset the environmental costs of vehicle greenhouse gases.

According to the report, Ontario announced in 2007 that it would reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to a mind-boggling 80 percent below 1990 levels over the next few decades.

Miller, who has a Masters degree in plant ecology, insists the guidelines (while arguably unachievable) aren’t ambitious enough.
According to the Toronto Sun, Miller says the system’s got to change:

"We’ll be forced with the coming price of petroleum and the issues of greenhouse gases, our car-based transportation system will have to change.

Of course, more dollars for transit have to be found as well, says Miller.

“Standing off and saying we’re not going to have the discussion because we’re afraid of the word tax isn’t very productive."

Both of Ontario’s opposition parties — the Progressive Conservatives and the NDP – – are reportedly opposed to toll highways.