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Federal budget invests in sustainability

Ottawa – The 2017 federal budget includes several initiatives aimed at spurring “clean growth.”

The government’s plan to promote sustainability includes the following initiatives:

• With the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the government and its provincial, territorial and indigenous partners laid out a plan to create good, well-paying jobs and leave a cleaner, more prosperous economy for generations to come.
• By pricing carbon pollution, the Government signalled to Canadians—and the world—its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver cleaner air, while combatting climate change.
• The comprehensive Oceans Protection Plan—the most significant investment ever made to protect our oceans and coastlines—will protect the environment, ensure efficient transportation, maintain public safety, and create good, well-paying jobs.
• To support provincial and territorial efforts to reduce carbon pollution, the Government established the Low Carbon Economy Fund, which will provide funding for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• To reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of fuel, and to promote cleaner technologies, the Government is establishing a clean fuel standard.
• The Government has also announced its intention to accelerate the replacement of coal-generated electricity by 2030.
• To foster the development of clean technologies and the growth of Canadian firms, the Government is making $1 billion in strategic investments to support the clean technology sector, through the Innovation and Skills Plan.

To advance Canada’s efforts to build a clean economy, Budget 2017 lays out the government’s plan to invest $21.9 billion in green infrastructure, including initiatives that will support the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.

Investments will flow through three distinct streams, including wastewater, infrastructure and climate change strategies:

• Bilateral agreements: $9.2 billion will be provided to provinces and territories over the next 11 years, on a base plus per capita allocation basis, to support priority projects, including those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deliver clean water, safely manage wastewater, help communities prepare for challenges that result from climate change, and help build cleaner, better-connected electricity systems.
• The Canada Infrastructure Bank: At least $5 billion will be available over the next 11 years for green infrastructure projects, including those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deliver clean air and safe water systems, and promote renewable power.
• An additional $2.8 billion will be invested over the next 11 years through a series of national programs.

In particular, the government proposes to invest the following national programs over the next 11 years:

• $100 million to support next generation smart grid, storage and clean electricity technology demonstration projects.
• $200 million to support the deployment of emerging renewable energy technologies nearing commercialization.
• $220 million to reduce the reliance of rural and remote communities south of the 60th parallel on diesel fuel, and support the use of more sustainable, renewable power solutions.
• $120 million to deploy infrastructure for electric vehicle charging and natural gas and hydrogen refuelling stations, as well as to support technology demonstration projects.
• $182 million to develop and implement new building codes to retrofit existing buildings and build new net-zero energy consumption buildings across Canada.
• $2 billion for a Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund to support national, provincial and municipal infrastructure required to deal with the effects of a changing climate.

Read the full budget plan.