Updates: The Liberal Government Record on the Environment

link: Planting Trees

Planting two billion trees is no small feat. It takes a lot of planning, preparation and often many years to get from a seed to planting a tree in the ground, but the benefits span generations!

The 2 Billion Trees program is now collaborating with partners on long-term agreements for tree planting that will in turn create stable demand on nurseries. As contribution agreements are signed and purchase orders are made, nurseries will be able to invest in infrastructure and seedling production, ensuring the right trees are grown and planted in the right places.

link: Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure

A $680 million initiative ending in 2027 and its objective is to address the lack of charging and refueling stations in Canada; one of the key barriers to ZEV adoption, by increasing the availability of localized charging and hydrogen refueling opportunities where Canadians live, work, and play.

link: Air Pollution

Lowering emissions, improving air quality, research and partnerships and protecting Canadians against the adverse effects of air pollution.

link: Carbon Pricing

Carbon pricing is about recognizing the cost of pollution and accounting for those costs in daily decisions. Putting a price on carbon pollution is widely recognized as the most efficient means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also driving innovation. Since 2019, every jurisdiction in Canada has had a price on carbon pollution. Canada’s approach is flexible: any province or territory can design its own pricing system tailored to local needs, or can choose the federal pricing system. The federal government sets minimum national stringency standards (the federal ‘benchmark’), that all systems must meet to ensure they are comparable and effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

link: Environmental Conservation and Protection

The Government of Canada has supported these commitments with the most significant investments in a generation:

  • $81 million over five years to support achieving the 10 per cent marine conservation target;
  • $40 million per year increase in fisheries and oceans science, including hiring 135 new scientists and forming new science partnerships with universities and other institutions; and
  • $1.5 billion over five years for oceans protection, which includes support for coastal restoration, emergency response, and much more.

In August 2019, Canada surpassed the 10 per cent target. We are now looking beyond 2020, toward an ambitious new target of conserving 25 per cent of our marine and coastal areas by 2025, working toward 30 per cent by 2030.

link: Changes to the Oceans Act

The changes to the Oceans Act allow for the option to freeze the footprint of an area through Ministerial Order using a new Oceans Act authority. The changes maintain the designation of MPAs through GIC regulations.

The creation of an MPA via Ministerial Order may occur before a GIC regulation, but would not be a requirement. An MPA via Ministerial Order allows for interim protection of the area, where needed, via a new two-stage approach:

  • Step 1: designate the MPA boundary and ‘freeze the footprint’ of ongoing activities in the area based on initial science and consultations via a Ministerial Order regulation;
  • Step 2: further science, consultations, risk assessments, and socio-economic and ecological overviews would be conducted to develop a permanent measure, such as an MPA via GIC regulation, within five years of the MPA via Ministerial Order being established.

    Source: Government of Canada