It’s time to step up investments to achieve a net-zero economy
In the months to come, various levels of government will be seeking to stimulate Canada’s economic recovery and create jobs. Whenever Canada is ready to begin investing in recovery, those investments need to create the green infrastructure we need to accelerate Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy: a national electrical energy grid, and digital, Indigenous, […]
Create eco-district pilots now to show how to live, work, and play in next-generation cities
Green infrastructure investments are on everybody’s agenda and are well in line with the carbon reduction targets that Canada committed to under the Paris agreement. With only a few decades to go to become completely carbon neutral, it is surprising that we still do not see pilot eco-districts that demonstrate how zero carbon can be […]
Climate change is here to stay: let’s build forward better and safely sail the storm
Earlier this month, it was announced that $10-billion of the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s (CIB) $35-billion budget would be assigned to create jobs and grow the economy. The six featured measures include $2-billion set aside to invest in large-scale building retrofits to increase energy efficiency and help make communities more sustainable. This is a welcomed focus […]
Infrastructure bank’s $10-billion growth plan raises hope of green bond push in Canada
The Canada Infrastructure Bank’s new growth plan, a $10-billion dollar strategy announced on Oct. 1 to invest in five priority areas related to greening Canada’s infrastructure, could be a step towards boosting the green bond market in Canada, experts say. “There’s a great opportunity for us here,” said Karen Clarke-Whistler, principal at ESG Global Advisors […]
Canadians are ready for real action on a green and just recovery
Last week, the Green Budget Coalition published its annual recommendations for federal investments to achieve priority environmental outcomes. While we are still in the midst of a public health emergency, Canadians are ready for real action on a green and just recovery from this pandemic that both improves their lives now and builds a better, […]
The transformative potential of energy efficient buildings as infrastructure
OTTAWA—Infrastructure usually refers to large projects like highways, dams, or wastewater treatment, however, this year’s Throne Speech contained a nuance that might have gone unnoticed: “energy efficient retrofits” were listed as an infrastructure investment. Now, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has announced a $2-billion initiative towards building retrofits as part of its growth plan. These […]
Cost of inaction on low-carbon transition far outweighs the scale of investment
Ottawa residents, including myself, breathed a sigh of relief this spring when we saw only heavy rain and not a repeat of last year’s record flooding along the Ottawa River. Our relief, though, may only be temporary because once-in-a-lifetime floods, wildfires, and hailstorms are becoming much more frequent than 30 years ago. With Canada warming […]
Investing in 5G is key to reducing Canada’s carbon footprint
While Canadians remain focused on the challenges of COVID-19, we must not forget the formidable threat of climate change. Without meaningful action, climate change is expected to cause significant, long-term, and potentially irreversible damage to the environment, the economy, and our way of life. While Canada has made progress toward achieving its climate-action goals, meeting […]
To make the recovery ‘green’ and ‘inclusive,’ we need to level the playing field for Indigenous communities
The recent Throne Speech reiterated the urgency of taking strong action on climate change while maintaining a focus on creating jobs. The government’s stimulus package, which includes additional measures towards the climate targets set for 2030, including proposed legislation to achieve zero net emissions by 2050, highlights how important it is for Canada to remain […]
Bold aspirations are not enough
TORONTO—It is quite a promise. But in its recent Throne Speech the Trudeau government pledged it would “ensure Canada is the most competitive jurisdiction in the world for clean technology companies.” It didn’t spell out how we would know it had kept its promise. Until we know, it’s just a boast. While promises come easy, […]
