Latest news with #CanadianClimateInstitute
Canada Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Canada Standard
4 Climate Actions for the Carney Government's First 100 Days
The dust has settled on a unique federal election, and Canada has a new government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, backed by a fresh mandate from the voters. While the election was rightly dominated by how to deal with threats of American economic aggression, climate and energy issues played an important supporting role in the campaign. In fact, the new government was elected on a strong platform for climate action that buttresses affordability, security, and competitiveness in a world shaken by these new uncertainties. Meeting this economic moment will require building on Canada's strengths and policy successes, as well as working together with provinces and territories. With that in mind, here are our suggestions for top priorities in the new government's first 100 days. First, strengthen industrial carbon pricing. Industrial carbon pricing is Canada's single most powerful policy tool for reducing emissions and protecting industrial competitiveness, all at minimal cost to households. But it needs improvement. The Canadian Climate Institute's extensive research on these systems shows they can reduce more emissions and give investors greater certainty if they are modernized to be more stringent, more transparent, and better aligned across the country. View our latest digests The federal government has a crucial role to play in these efforts because it writes the minimum standards that underpin provincial systems across the country. It's time those standards were updated. Second, finalize methane regulations for oil and gas. Cutting methane emissions-a particularly potent greenhouse gas-is a good news story. We know how to reduce these emissions that are released in oil and gas production and pipeline transport, and doing so is cost-effective. In fact, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia have already slashed these powerful emissions by more than half in less than a decade. The last federal government almost finished this work with draft regulations released last summer that would require methane emissions associated with oil and gas to drop 75% by to shared federal-provincial action, the oil and gas sector is already well on its way to meeting this target. Our modelling has shown that Canada can go even further to reach 80%-and the government should consider doing so. Some provinces have already taken steps towards stronger action. British Columbia, for example, has committed to near zero methane from all industrial activities by 2035. Third, finalize the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Electrifying Canada's economy with clean power will underpin the country's success in reducing national emissions and attracting investment. That means a big buildout of intra- and inter-provincial electricity infrastructure, but it will also require investment incentives like the ITCs. While the other federal ITCs were put into law last summer, the Clean Electricity ITC is still pending. Finalizing this long-promised policy will benefit all provinces and territories as they clean up their grids with billions in new investment support, all of which will ultimately help keep energy bills down. The Clean Electricity ITC is also the only one of its kind to make tax-exempt entities eligible, which will create incentives for investors including First Nations, municipalities, and pension funds. Finally, establish a made-in-Canada climate taxonomy for the financial sector. Investment decisions are being shaped by climate change more than ever before, whether from disrupted supply chains, higher costs from more frequent and severe climate impacts, or rapid shifts in clean energy and technology costs. A national climate taxonomy-a well-defined set of criteria to determine which activities and assets contribute to climate objectives-will give investors the standardized approach they need to evaluate these material risks and opportunities against their bottom line. This type of policy is already in place or under development in more than 30 jurisdictions around the world. Ultimately, a climate taxonomy will enhance our country's ability to attract investment. The federal government endorsed the approach recommended by Canada's largest financial institutions last fall, which included a world-leading framework to classify emissions-intensive activities on the path to net zero. The next step is to establish an independent body with stable funding to deliver this much-needed market guidance. Taken together, these four actions will help build on previous policy wins that have driven national emissions down to where they were in the 1990s-more than 8% below 2005 levels at last count. There is still significant work ahead to set Canada up for success in a world economy rapidly adjusting to new trade disruptions while the inevitable shift towards clean energy technologies continues to gather pace globally. While combatting climate change is a multi-decade endeavour, there is much that Canada can do right away. The next hundred days is plenty of time to implement the four actions we believe should sit atop the list of the new government's climate priorities. This post from the Canadian Climate Institute's 440 Megatonnes blog was published under Creative Commons licence. It originally appeared on Corporate Knights. Source: The Energy Mix
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Throne speech pledges ‘energy superpower' future but observers flag climate impact on cost of living
King Charles' speech from the throne was widely welcomed by clean energy, environmental and industry organizations in Canada for its emphasis on strengthening the country's economy led by a strategy to become the world's 'leading energy superpower' that was more competitive globally and combatted the climate crisis. But several cautioned that job creation and economic growth in the face of the ongoing US trade war must not impede progress on the energy transition when the cost of living is skyrocketing due to grocery prices jacked up by climate change-fuelled supply-chain upheaval; rising home insurance premiums connected to extreme weather; and tax hikes linked to paying for disaster recovery and infrastructure repair. In the throne speech, the first in almost 50 years by a sitting sovereign, King Charles said Canada could see 'the largest transformation of its economy since the Second World War,' if a number of anti-growth 'barriers,' including those related to interprovincial trade, were removed. 'Given the pace of change and the scale of opportunities, speed is of the essence. By removing these barriers that have held back our economy, we will unleash a new era of growth that will ensure we don't just survive ongoing trade wars, but emerge from them stronger than ever,' King Charles said. 'It will enable Canada to become the world's leading energy superpower in both clean and conventional energy. To build an industrial strategy that will make Canada more globally competitive while fighting climate change. To build hundreds of thousands of good careers in the skilled trades. And to build Canada into the world's leading hub for science and innovation.'. Rachel Doran, executive director at Clean Energy Canada, a think-tank, said the common theme of the throne speech was that it is a 'time for change, not status quo thinking,' especially around the shift away from fossil fuels. 'Change means rethinking our trade relationships, investing in new and growing industries, building faster and more efficiently, and ensuring that affordability and sustainability are written into the DNA of all of these efforts from day one,' she said in a statement. 'It is clear, as mentioned in the throne speech, that Canada can and should action an industrial strategy that will both make us more globally competitive and combat climate change. These are not distinct but complementary objectives.' Doran pointed to studies from the International Energy Agency, a global energy watchdog, that showed Canadian household energy bills 'will shrink as we near net zero.' Rick Smith, president of the Canadian Climate Institute, a policy research body, praised the speech for its focus on speeding up development of 'nation-building' projects and infrastructure and working to make Canada a clean energy superpower as well as a global hub for science and innovation. Yet he flagged that 'any robust economic strategy must include effective action to fight climate change, make life more affordable , and invest in low-carbon innovation.' 'We urge the federal government to act decisively on five specific, critical priorities: strengthening industrial carbon pricing systems, finalizing methane regulations for the oil and gas sector, enacting Canada's Clean Electricity Tax Credit , establishing a made-in-Canada climate taxonomy for Canada's financial sector, and applying clear flood and fire resilience criteria for federally supported housing ,' Smith said. Climate change is 'already making life in Canada less affordable,' he stressed — and building a 'strong and resilient' domestic economy meant protecting homes and communities from the impacts of the emissions-driven environmental emergency. 'Acting swiftly on policy priorities [outlined in the speech from the throne] will strengthen Canada's competitive advantage in an increasingly unpredictable global economy, while enhancing Canadian sovereignty, resilience and energy security,' said Smith. Environmental activist group emphasized that the Liberal government should invest in the clean energy transition to create jobs and build the economy 'without robbing our children of a liveable future.' The group said Carney's goal of becoming an energy superpower must not depend on 'embracing false solutions like carbon capture technology, biomass, and liquified natural gas, which receive massive taxpayer subsidies and perpetuate pollution while masquerading as clean energy sources.' Speaking before the Calgary Chamber of Commerce last week, federal natural resources minister Tim Hodgson indicated that the government would , in fact, be investing in carbon capture, among other oil and gas industry priorities. Fernando Melo, head of policy at the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, an industry group, said the throne speech signalled the country stood 'at a moment of fundamental change which is also an incredible opportunity to think big and to act bigger.' 'Renewable energy and energy storage are the most rapidly deployable, clean and affordable options available. We are pleased to see that Canada's government is looking to build. As the King said, 'In this new, fast-evolving world, Canada is ready to lead,'' he said. Lynn Cote, executive director of the Canada Clean Tech Alliance, a coalition of industry advocacy bodies, noted that while 'cleantech' had not been mentioned in the speech from the throne, she 'anticipated that advanced technologies will be included in building key infrastructure projects.' Dan Kelly, president of Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which advocates for the country's small and medium-sized businesses, said he was glad to hear 'conventional' mentioned alongside 'clean' in the stated aim to make Canada an energy 'superpower.' He said that the 2,000 energy sector companies in the CFIB's membership would be cheered by the throne speech 'in that it both continued the Trudeau government's focus on clean energy but included conventional energy too. 'That is a definite change in tone,' said Kelly. He added that his 'worry' having listened to the throne speech is that the government will not table a budget before the fall, when the 'rubber hits the road.' He highlighted the 'unfulfilled promises' of the preceding Liberal on business carbon tax rebates, with some $600 million still yet to be paid to CFIB members from 2024, and $2.5 billion in payments that remains 'taxable, unlike the consumer carbon tax rebates' which are tax-free. 'If we want to get our economy rebooted, we have a lot of unfinished business to do. Small- and medium-sized businesses are on shaky footing [due to the pandemic and US trade war] and this is all capital that could be invested in supporting Canadian entrepreneurship in evolving [toward the emerging clean economy],' said Kelly. Lana Payne, president of Unifor, a Canadian union representing 320,000 workers, said while it supported the government 'unlocking Canada's potential as a global energy leader, both in clean and conventional energy,' this ambition 'requires more than simply speeding up approvals.' 'It demands streamlined, comprehensive review processes that protect the environment, uphold Indigenous rights, and ensure public safety— all while creating good, unionized jobs and building a more competitive, sustainable economy,' she said.
National Observer
4 days ago
- Business
- National Observer
Throne speech pledges 'energy superpower' future but observers flag climate impact on cost of living
King Charles' speech from the throne was widely welcomed by clean energy, environmental and industry organizations in Canada for its emphasis on strengthening the country's economy led by a strategy to become the world's 'leading energy superpower' that was more competitive globally and combatted the climate crisis. But several cautioned that job creation and economic growth in the face of the ongoing US trade war must not impede progress on the energy transition when the cost of living is skyrocketing due to grocery prices jacked up by climate change-fuelled supply-chain upheaval; rising home insurance premiums connected to extreme weather; and tax hikes linked to paying for disaster recovery and infrastructure repair. In the throne speech, the first in almost 50 years by a sitting sovereign, King Charles said Canada could see 'the largest transformation of its economy since the Second World War,' if a number of anti-growth 'barriers,' including those related to interprovincial trade, were removed. 'Given the pace of change and the scale of opportunities, speed is of the essence. By removing these barriers that have held back our economy, we will unleash a new era of growth that will ensure we don't just survive ongoing trade wars, but emerge from them stronger than ever,' King Charles said. 'It will enable Canada to become the world's leading energy superpower in both clean and conventional energy. To build an industrial strategy that will make Canada more globally competitive while fighting climate change. To build hundreds of thousands of good careers in the skilled trades. And to build Canada into the world's leading hub for science and innovation.'. 'Time for change, not status quo' Rachel Doran, executive director at Clean Energy Canada, a think-tank, said the common theme of the throne speech was that it is a 'time for change, not status quo thinking,' especially around the shift away from fossil fuels. 'Acting swiftly on policy priorities will strengthen Canada's competitive advantage in an increasingly unpredictable global economy, while enhancing Canadian sovereignty, resilience and energy security," says Canadian Climate Institute's Rick Smith 'Change means rethinking our trade relationships, investing in new and growing industries, building faster and more efficiently, and ensuring that affordability and sustainability are written into the DNA of all of these efforts from day one,' she said in a statement. 'It is clear, as mentioned in the throne speech, that Canada can and should action an industrial strategy that will both make us more globally competitive and combat climate change. These are not distinct but complementary objectives.' Doran pointed to studies from the International Energy Agency, a global energy watchdog, that showed Canadian household energy bills 'will shrink as we near net zero.' Rick Smith, president of the Canadian Climate Institute, a policy research body, praised the speech for its focus on speeding up development of 'nation-building' projects and infrastructure and working to make Canada a clean energy superpower as well as a global hub for science and innovation. Yet he flagged that 'any robust economic strategy must include effective action to fight climate change, make life more affordable, and invest in low-carbon innovation.' Five 'critical' priorities 'We urge the federal government to act decisively on five specific, critical priorities: strengthening industrial carbon pricing systems, finalizing methane regulations for the oil and gas sector, enacting Canada's Clean Electricity Tax Credit, establishing a made-in-Canada climate taxonomy for Canada's financial sector, and applying clear flood and fire resilience criteria for federally supported housing,' Smith said. Climate change is 'already making life in Canada less affordable,' he stressed — and building a 'strong and resilient' domestic economy meant protecting homes and communities from the impacts of the emissions-driven environmental emergency. 'Acting swiftly on policy priorities [outlined in the speech from the throne] will strengthen Canada's competitive advantage in an increasingly unpredictable global economy, while enhancing Canadian sovereignty, resilience and energy security," said Smith. Environmental activist group emphasized that the Liberal government should invest in the clean energy transition to create jobs and build the economy 'without robbing our children of a liveable future.' Government must avoid 'false solutions' The group said Carney's goal of becoming an energy superpower must not depend on 'embracing false solutions like carbon capture technology, biomass, and liquified natural gas, which receive massive taxpayer subsidies and perpetuate pollution while masquerading as clean energy sources.' Speaking before the Calgary Chamber of Commerce last week, federal natural resources minister Tim Hodgson indicated that the government would, in fact, be investing in carbon capture, among other oil and gas industry priorities. Fernando Melo, head of policy at the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, an industry group, said the throne speech signalled the country stood 'at a moment of fundamental change which is also an incredible opportunity to think big and to act bigger.' 'Renewable energy and energy storage are the most rapidly deployable, clean and affordable options available. We are pleased to see that Canada's government is looking to build. As the King said, 'In this new, fast-evolving world, Canada is ready to lead,'' he said. Cleantech not mentioned by name Lynn Cote, executive director of the Canada Clean Tech Alliance, a coalition of industry advocacy bodies, noted that while 'cleantech' had not been mentioned in the speech from the throne, she 'anticipated that advanced technologies will be included in building key infrastructure projects.' Dan Kelly, president of Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which advocates for the country's small and medium-sized businesses, said he was glad to hear 'conventional' mentioned alongside 'clean' in the stated aim to make Canada an energy 'superpower.' He said that the 2,000 energy sector companies in the CFIB's membership would be cheered by the throne speech 'in that it both continued the Trudeau government's focus on clean energy but included conventional energy too. 'That is a definite change in tone,' said Kelly. He added that his 'worry' having listened to the throne speech is that the government will not table a budget before the fall, when the 'rubber hits the road.' Trudeau's 'unfulfilled promises' He highlighted the 'unfulfilled promises' of the preceding Liberal on business carbon tax rebates, with some $600 million still yet to be paid to CFIB members from 2024, and $2.5 billion in payments that remains 'taxable, unlike the consumer carbon tax rebates' which are tax-free. 'If we want to get our economy rebooted, we have a lot of unfinished business to do. Small- and medium-sized businesses are on shaky footing [due to the pandemic and US trade war] and this is all capital that could be invested in supporting Canadian entrepreneurship in evolving [toward the emerging clean economy],' said Kelly. Lana Payne, president of Unifor, a Canadian union representing 320,000 workers, said while it supported the government 'unlocking Canada's potential as a global energy leader, both in clean and conventional energy,' this ambition 'requires more than simply speeding up approvals.' 'It demands streamlined, comprehensive review processes that protect the environment, uphold Indigenous rights, and ensure public safety— all while creating good, unionized jobs and building a more competitive, sustainable economy,' she said.
Global News
4 days ago
- Climate
- Global News
Active fire season expected to bring more smoky skies across Manitoba
Eastern Manitoba is under an air quality warning due to smoke from the nearby wildfires, and smoke from blazes in Saskatchewan is being blown over northern Manitoba. It's early in the wildfire season, but Environment Canada meteorologist Natalie Hasell says conditions are only going to get worse. 'Based on our current forecasts, it would not surprise me if things remain difficult,' says Hasell. 'That the season is going to be pretty active looks pretty sure at this point.' Hasell says the wildfire risk will stay high throughout the summer, and increase across the prairies in August. Ryan Ness, director of adaptation research at the Canadian Climate Institute, says climate change has made active fire seasons and smoky skies the norm for our summers. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We're seeing those warmer, dryer winters,' says Ness. 'We're seeing less precipitation during the warmer seasons, we're seeing more lightning and thunderstorms even with the changing and warming climate.' Story continues below advertisement Seniors, young children, pregnant people, and people with heart or lung conditions are most susceptible to health complications due to wildfire smoke. They are advised to avoid strenuous activity outdoors when the air quality is poor. But Juliette Mucha, president and CEO of the Manitoba Lung Association, says even if you're healthy, the effects of smoke can catch up with you. 'You may not feel it now, or you may just have a little cough right now. But later on, years to come, days, weeks, that's where we can see the damage,' says Mucha. Mucha says breathing the fine particles in wildfire smoke can do damage equivalent to smoking several cigarettes. She advises keeping the air inside your home as clear as possible. 'Close your windows, and if you're able to, put your A/C on. If you have a fresh air intake, make sure that is off, recirculating just interior air.' She advises people who don't have air conditioning to go to a library or other public space that does. For those who do need to go outside in heavy smoke, an N-95 mask can filter out some of the harmful particles.
CBC
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Startups aim to bring EV charging to apartment and condo dwellers
Social Sharing In 2015, Carter Li decided he wanted an electric car. He was living in a condo in downtown Toronto, and figured he could negotiate with the condo building to get an EV charger installed in his parking stall if he agreed to cover not just his own costs, but some of the building's costs. "I mean, I'm helping them upgrade their own infrastructure," he reasoned. "Why would they say 'no'?" But the property manager did say "no" — after more than half a year of research and discussions with Li. "They're like, 'This is too complicated. You're touching common infrastructure. We don't want anything to do with this,'" he recalled. While a third of Canadians live in multi-residential homes like apartment and condo buildings, a 2024 online survey of more than 2,000 Canadian EV owners by the non-profit Pollution Probe found only 12 per cent of those EV owners lived in multi-residential buildings, and those that did were far less likely to have at-home charging than those in single family homes. Many people won't buy an EV if they have no place to charge, say Canadian Climate Institute researchers Arthur Zhang and Anna Kunduth. "Access to charging remains a key factor on whether, and which drivers decide to go electric," they wrote in a 2024 blog post. Li realized his frustration as a would-be EV owner in a multi-family building was a common one. So he resolved to work on a solution, co-founding a startup called Swtch Energy that aims to make charging easy for buildings where many vehicles may be charging at once. It's among a handful of startups across Canada that are trying to provide EV charging access for people who live in condos and apartments. Here's a look at three of their solutions. A 'power vending machine' Vancouver-based startup Parkizio Technologies has what's probably the simplest and lowest-tech solution, a device called Plugzio Universal Outlet. "You can kind of think of it as a power vending machine," said Ali Mohazab, the company's co-founder and CEO. In many cases, a tenant or condo owner may already have a nearby outlet, for example one designed for block heaters. In some cases, Mohazab says, the landlord or property manager won't allow it to be used for EV charging. The Plugzio Universal Outlet is a smart meter that allows the landlord or property manager to charge EV owners for the electricity they use, while controlling things like who can charge, when, how much and for what price — addressing concerns that might otherwise make them wary of allowing tenants to charge their EV. The company says it's only a fifth the cost of a traditional Level 2 charger. While it only allows for Level 1 or "trickle" charging – adding about six km of range per hour of charging – Mohazab notes that most EVs are driven for only short distances and parked all night. "Level 1 charging is typically enough, I would say, for 95 per cent of people," he said, with the exception of people who drive all day, such as taxi or Uber drivers. 'Smart Roomba for EV charging' Abdel Ali, founder and CEO of Toronto-based Kiwi Charge, said he thinks many buildings are reluctant to install EV chargers because the hardware for Level 2 charging, which can charge a vehicle's entire battery overnight, is expensive. Meanwhile, most buildings don't have a lot of residents with EVs, and those that do generally don't drive them very much each day. That means for all the expense and trouble of installing a charger for a parking spot, it's "only going to be used a few hours per day," Ali said. "For the rest of the day it's just sitting idle." Sharing chargers may be more efficient, but no one really wants to come down to plug or unplug their car at 3 a.m. so multiple vehicles can charge overnight. Kiwi Charge aims to provide shared chargers that move from vehicle to vehicle automatically, thanks to a robot that it hopes to start testing this fall. Ali likens it to a robot vacuum that autonomously navigates and cleans the entire floor: "It's like a smart Roomba for EV charging." The battery-equipped robot would use Level 3 fast charging to charge a vehicle in half an hour, recharge its own battery from the building's power supply, then move on to the next vehicle. "The goal is ultimately to be able to charge a different vehicle every hour," Ali said. The company plans to test its robots with developer Tridel in Toronto this fall. So far, it has run short pilots with a trailer-mounted mobile battery in the City of Vaughan and the City of Markham outside Toronto. That allowed it to test some of its technology, which can connect to a car without its owner's presence. Ali also envisions using this lower-tech system — "like Uber Eats for the vehicles" — to encourage EV adoption in buildings that don't already have EV charging. The company would deploy the robot once there were four to six EV owners in the same building subscribing to the service. He said that would cover the costs of installing the charging infrastructure for the robots, which would then be ready for up to 60 additional vehicles. Ali estimates that would allow a building to provide charging to its residents for 40 per cent of the cost of installing Level 2 charging in every spot. An EV charging management system Arthur Zhang, senior research associate with the Canadian Climate Institute said EV charging infrastructure is generally cheapest if the planning, assessment and installation for an entire building (new or retrofit) happens at once and the costs are split by many people rather than being paid for multiple times by multiple individuals over many years. Carter Li, CEO of Swtch, said his company aims to make larger-scale deployment of EV charging cheaper and easier for building managers. Providing access to EV charging in an entire building can be very expensive, Li said. "They have to upgrade conduits, subpanels, panels and may be even asking for more … energy from the utilities." Local grids generally have the capacity to deliver only a certain amount of electricity, and only allocate a certain amount to each building. Any building that needs more than that has to pay for additional grid infrastructure to add more capacity — something that adding too many EV chargers may require. That could potentially add millions to an EV charging installation project, Li said. Swtch aims to solve this problem with a range of technology that helps maximize the number of EV chargers that can be installed with existing electrical infrastructure or minor upgrades. It does this with technology that can control and adjust the speed and timing of charging for multiple EVs to reduce the impact on both the building's electrical system and other appliances, such as heat pumps. Building owners (or a group of condo owners) pay a monthly subscription and either buy or rent the chargers. Swtch manages everything, including billing the user for the electricity and remitting the fees to the building owners. So far, Li said, it has deployed more than 20,000 charge ports across North America — about 60 per cent of them in Canada, in multi-family residential and commercial buildings in most major cities. Zhang said it's uncertain whether solutions like these can get "to scale," but he thinks it's good that companies are exploring alternatives to traditional charging infrastructure in places where it may be challenging to install. "It certainly opens up the options," he said. "I do think that it's encouraging."
