Canada Is Stepping Up its Climate Ambition, Now we all have to step up

On the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, Canada has stepped up with a robust, credible new climate plan to fully meet our 2030 targets. Investments in clean energy, nature, and resilient communities—along with an ambitious price on carbon—will be instrumental in supporting the green recovery Canadians are asking for.

In particular, we are encouraged by the following:

• The carbon price will continue to increase by CAD 15 a year after 2022 until 2030, along with increasing rebates to Canadians. This sends a clear, 10-year signal to households and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.
   
• The commitment to develop Canada’s first-ever national adaptation plan. This is an urgent priority and Canada must begin to catch up with other countries around the world. Just as the pandemic has exposed inequalities across the country, so too will the impacts of climate change if we don’t invest in building our resilience now.
   
• Investments of CAD 15 billion to support the transition to a low-carbon economy over the next decade, including expanding Canada’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, support for renewable energy, and funding for building retrofits—this is in line with moves we are seeing in other parts of the world and with recommendations from Canada’s Task Force for a Resilient Recovery.

Today’s announcements will need to be complemented by additional implementation of just transition policies to ensure workers and communities affected by the low-carbon transition can thrive in tomorrow’s economy.

The path to net zero is not just an environmental imperative—it is now a global economic race. A key challenge for this plan will be reaching the right level of public and private investment for Canada to compete internationally. This federal plan is a good start; now we need increased provincial ambition and commitments from the private sector. It’s time for us to come together to map out an inclusive transition that benefits all Canadians.