Canada is slowly rolling towards low-carbon transport
Last year, the federal government recognized climate change as an “emergency,” yet one doesn’t get much of a sense of urgency when reviewing the government’s efforts to curtail greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector. While every other sector of Canada’s economy has seen emissions reductions since 2005, emissions from transport have grown substantially […]
Federal transit funding means jobs galore
Environmentalists point to public transit—especially electric buses and light rail—as a climate change solution and contributor to clean air. It’s certainly that. But it’s increasingly clear that transit offers something in addition: a very significant amount of employment. When government puts money into transit, it generates jobs in a whole range of sectors. It gives […]
Public transit in crisis
Greens have long called for significant investments in public transit. The reasons are obvious. Transportation, movement of goods and people, is a huge chunk of Canada’s contribution to global warming. Second only to oil and gas, transportation at 186 megatonnes is 25.5 per cent of our total emissions (729 MT in 2018, the last year […]
The Canada Infrastructure Bank’s growth plan: taking action to invest in new infrastructure
More than ever, Canada needs growth to create jobs, generate economic opportunities, and ensure a sustainable transition to a low-carbon, digital economy. The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) recently announced its $10-billion growth plan to invest in major infrastructure initiatives to help achieve these goals. Over the next 36 months, the CIB will invest in projects […]
Feds trumpet uncertain WTO reform to protect Canada from trade whims of superpowers
With growing trade uncertainty around the globe, the Liberal government is trumpeting its leadership of a group of likeminded nations to reform the World Trade Organization, but progress is far from guaranteed. The Canadian government formed the Ottawa Group in 2018 with Australia, Brazil, Chile, the European Union, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, […]
New ministerial anchoring of Canada-U.S. file is a return to regular operations, say experts
As cabinet ministers take on new roles and more voices are being added to the crucial Canada-U.S. file, experts say it is a normalization of ministerial responsibilities after the chaos of the Trump administration and the NAFTA renegotiations was met with an unconventional approach. International Trade Minister Mary Ng (Markham-Thornhill, Ont.) and Foreign Affairs Minister […]
Businesses, non-profits urging feds toward ‘bold green recovery,’ but domestic context could push Canada down different path, says expert
As the federal government continues to spend unprecedented sums to float the economy during the coronavirus pandemic, politicians, advocacy organizations, private companies, and experts are trying to increase the pressure on Ottawa to begin new stimulus spending on eco-friendly initiatives that seek to lower Canada’s carbon footprint, kickstart the dormant economy, and live up to […]
In the next wave of economic recovery, ‘speed, scale, and simplicity’ need to make way for sustainability
When Finance Minister Bill Morneau provided Canadians with a fiscal update July 8, he described how the federal government helped pull Canadians and businesses back from the brink of financial insolvency due to the country entering lockdown in response to COVID-19. Three principles, he said, were applied to all new programs: speed, scale, and simplicity. […]
Lobby groups push feds to pivot to recovery phase, say more cash needed for key sectors
Associations are pivoting to recovery in their federal advocacy asks, with those among the most actively lobbying government in May pushing for flexibility on some of the government’s emergency measures and calling for more funding to protect at-risk industries. The busiest groups lobbying last month include members in the post-secondary education, oil, and forestry sector […]
Wind and solar groups unite in new national renewable energy association ‘during this period of historical global transformation’
As the coronavirus restrictions continue to ease across the country, a new national renewable energy association is getting ready to push to ensure “renewable energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix during this period of historical global transformation,” reads a press release from the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. On […]
