Ontario Contemplates "Green Bonds" to Pay for Transit

While Canada’s most populous province continues its heated transit funding debate, Premier Kathleen Wynne recently suggested green bonds as a potential revenue tool. Don Curren sheds light on the bonds and how they might get transit projects rolling.

1 minute read

November 4, 2013, 8:00 AM PST

By Kasper_O_Koblauch


“When Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said Wednesday the province might issue ‘green bonds’ to help fund transit projects, she set the stage for Canada’s most populous province to do some trail blazing,” writes Don Curren.

“Green bonds,” he continues, “are similar to other bonds in that they’re debt instruments which issuers sell to investors in return for interest over the life of the bond and return of principal by the time the bond matures.”

“What makes green bonds different is that the issuer, whether it’s a government body or a private-sector corporation, guarantees the funds raised through the offering are dedicated to a specific project or initiative that’s positive for the environment.”

Friday, November 1, 2013 in The Wall Street Journal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation