Signal Ontario Court of Appeal Revives Youth Climate Charter Challenge, Orders New Hearing

Summary

On August 6 2026 Ontario's Court of Appeal issued a procedural ruling sending the youth-led Charter climate case, Mathur et al v Ontario, back to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for a new hearing. The case began in 2019 when seven youth challenged Ontario's weakened greenhouse gas emissions target as a violation of their rights to life, security and equality under Sections 7 and 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In its 2025 Fall Economic Statement the Doug Ford government announced it would repeal the law requiring the province to set emissions targets, prepare a climate plan and report on progress. Just days before the case was due to be heard on appeal, Ontario enacted that climate rollback, prompting an adjournment so the parties could assess its effect on the case. The revival moves the case a step closer to a final judgment on the government's rollback of emissions targets since it took office in 2018.