It’s time to bridge the gap between Canada’s energy future and climate targets
On Nov. 19, the federal government introduced Bill C-12, the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. Its purpose is to legislate five-year targets leading up to net-zero emissions in 2050 and to create an institutional structure to ensure that those targets are achieved. In legislating a net-zero target, Canada joins other countries that have done the […]
Don’t greenwash the blue economy
Last week, Canada announced a new pledge to sustainably manage 100 per cent of our ocean by 2025. The commitment, which was also signed onto by 13 other countries, provides an outline of how Canada might approach its blue economy strategy—a roadmap for how oceans can help drive the country’s economic growth. Given that Canada has the […]
The power behind transition: a national energy system strategy
Canada is an energy bank. We need to treat it like one. We require an energy system strategy that would allow Canada to lead (not follow) market opportunities and leverage our capital to transition to a low carbon future. An energy system strategy will allow us to better monitor and achieve our transition. Energy is […]
Is Canada’s oil sector an appropriate target for industrial policy support?
Canadian discussions on the future of oil quickly descend to partisan polemics, with the environmental community arguing that climate change realities mean we need to leave it in the ground, and the oil patch arguing that it’s better that we produce it than our unethical global competitors. It’s hard to see a bridge between those […]
With economic statement, federal government keeps us waiting on real climate action
When it comes to climate policy, the fall economic statement delivered more of what we’ve come to expect from this government: a lot of talk about leadership, some new money for signature policies, but little recognition of the bigger picture challenges facing the country. It amounts to a small step forward when a leap is […]
Investments in education and training infrastructure critical to Canada’s long-term recovery
As Canada begins to build back better, investments that achieve multiple benefits stand to expedite recovery and amplify impact. Just as the United States once did with its New Deal to respond to the Great Depression, a key ingredient to Canada’s long-term recovery will undoubtedly be infrastructure investment and development. In a recent speech to […]
Climate and shifting markets define energy challenges for Canada
The state of energy policy in Canada, as it relates to fossil fuels, is defined by two major issues: the stalling out, with the possible exception of Quebec, of meaningful progress on climate change; and distress in the Alberta oil and gas sector, a product of weak demand and low commodity prices—trends that pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic. The […]
Approaching the Biden administration on energy: don’t lead with Keystone
A Biden administration represents opportunities and challenges for Canadian energy, but to be successful in its relations with Washington, Canada needs to think differently about how it approaches the U.S. Gone are the days when the U.S. looked to Canada as a pivotal energy supplier and crucial pillar of national energy security. What happened? Two […]
Unite the forces of government, business, and science to combat climate change post-pandemic
COVID-19 has dominated news headlines in 2020, with governments around the globe focused on protecting the health of its citizens, and businesses across all industries scrambling for ways to both survive and keep their employees safe. This has been the year of a pandemic, but it has also been the year of Australian wildfires, deforestation […]
Air transport system’s road to recovery will be long and challenging
The air transport system was severely hit by the global pandemic due to restrictions on air travel—locally nationally, and globally. While the path to recovery will require diverse measures to safeguard players in the system, sustainability must be top of mind in the process. The air transport system consists of a number of key players, […]
