Dear Editor,
As we safely restart our economy in the midst of a global health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic keeps transforming Canadian society, imposing day-to-day governance decisions to support people and businesses. With vaccines still months away, the fight against this virus is . . .
far from over and we cannot afford to lose any ground gained.
But neither can we fall victim to the tragedy on the horizon and lose sight of another global crisis – climate change – as Canada builds back a cleaner, more competitive and inclusive economy. As Prime Minister Trudeau recently commented, just because we’re in a health crisis doesn’t mean we can neglect the environmental crisis. One for which there is no vaccine.
Across jurisdictions and the political spectrum, we can agree that the federal government’s main job is to keep Canadians healthy while building a more resilient economy, priorities that go hand-in-hand. Many Canadians are back at work, but many more are struggling and unsure if they will keep their job as this crisis continues. We understand these fears and are determined to help Canadians stay on payroll while tackling the many inequalities that people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, and other vulnerable groups face daily.
To address such fears and inequalities, Canadians are looking to all levels of government to build back in a way that considers human and economic health in light of the impacts of climate change. The global marketplace is changing rapidly – and in the countries leading the energy transition, this pandemic has only increased their commitment to investing in the lower-risk low-carbon options. The science and technology to cut greenhouse gas emissions, maximize efficiency and energy conservation and drive the global transition to clean technology is part of a new economic order that already counts in the trillions of dollars. And it offers job opportunities for Canadian workers and Canadian businesses in every region and every industry.
For five years, while public debate was consumed with polarized rhetoric on carbon prices and pipelines, our government implemented many low-carbon industrial policy shifts and ramped up clean technology investments by 50% at Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). From phasing out coal-fired electricity and banning single-use plastics, to preparing national building code reforms and a $5,000 federal electric car rebate, more changes are on the way to deliver a path to net-zero emissions by 2050. Of course we need to do more, and we will.
We will continue to invest historic amounts in both basic and applied scientific research, both within the federal government and within post-secondary institutions. And in the upcoming Parliamentary session, we will look to deliver on our commitments to enact climate legislation with binding five year targets and tighten federal regulation of toxic substances. All of this will drive market opportunities and job creation in the green economy, further enabling Canada’s economic recovery.
As Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Science and Industry, I fully support our ongoing efforts to scale-up Canadian clean technology businesses across all sectors, building a stronger clean technology ecosystem that creates jobs by getting green ideas to market faster. Just like we did this week through SDTC – which invests federal funds to find and foster the best in Canadian clean technology businesses – when we announced nearly $25 million to support nine businesses that deliver critical technologies for the low-carbon economy.
These efforts are already helping Canadians join the front ranks of the new low-carbon economy. From the world’s first carbon-free aluminum to batteries for electric ferries to more affordable electric vehicles, Canadian companies are seizing great opportunities in this new marketplace. More than 80 per cent of the power on Canada’s electricity grids comes already from emissions-free sources – an enormous national asset to build on. Now is the time to deepen these commitments so that we can achieve positive growth with declining emissions.
Our government’s priority, our economic priority, is to do what it takes to keep COVID-19 under control. We will keep protecting Canadians. And we will do so while appreciating that Canada and the world are at a pivot point in both human health and climate crises. This is why the Speech from the Throne on Sept. 23 is so important, because it represents a unique opportunity to present our Government’s vision of a more just, clean, and inclusive society.
William Amos, Member of Parliament for Pontiac, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
