Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne speaks at the Climate Summit of the Americas in Toronto last July. (Photo: Darren Calabrese/CP)
She says the government will use revenue raised from auctions of carbon emissions to industries to keep electricity rates in check.
Wynne says people have to realize the cost of doing nothing to combat climate change will be even greater than putting a price on carbon.
More details of the cap-and-trade plan are expected to be revealed in Thursday's Ontario budget.
It is scheduled to take effect next January and the government expects to raise about $1.3 billion in its first full year of operation, money that will be devoted to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.