Canada's Approach to Climate Change

 In March 2022 the Canadian Government released it's new plan "2030 Emissions Reductions Plan". 

NOTE: All the information presented in this post is taken from this plan. 

Overall it hopes to reduce Canada's GHG emissions by 40-45% below levels recorded in 2005. This attempts to meet our country's climate commitments made at COP 26 in 2021, in an effort to keep global warming below 2.0˚C. The plan covers many areas of emissions over all industries in the country as shown in this graph from the plan.

The plan is very diverse but it has several categories that are presented:

• Homes and Buildings: plans such as the "Canada Greener Homes Grant/Loan" will help home owners improve home efficiency, and stimulate jobs in these greener industry options.
• Funding Community Action: a large amount of money will be provided to provinces, municipalities and smaller organizations such as schools, universities, hospitals, business and non-profits to help them transition to greener options.
• Switching to Electric Vehicles: Additional funding will include incentives for Canadians to buy Electric Vehicles and a promise to help add 50,000 charging stations. It also sets many benchmarks to mandate EV options such as 20% of new light-duty vehicles will be zero-emissions by 2026.
• Reducing Emission from Oil/Gas Sector: The government will enforce caps on carbon dioxide and methane emissions that will scale up by 2030 encouraging efficiency and cleaner production.
• Increasing Renewable Energy Sources: Investments in green electricity production across the country will help ensure we have the power available to meet the needs of electrification.
• Clean Energy Technology in Industry: introducing an array of strategies to help businesses improve their efficiency and transition to greener options.
• Investing in Nature: Nature has many strong carbon-sink options that need protecting and expanding if possible, including expanding carbon off-set strategies.
• Supporting Farmers: Investments in the "On-Farm Climate Action Fund"and the "Agricultural Green Technology Program:" will help farmers expand their green efficiency options while continuing to put food on our plates.
• Price on Carbon: In April the carbon tax rose to $50/tonne and it will continue to rise to ensure that low emission options become more and more economically feasible, while stimulating funds for green government action.

All of these actions are hopefully also going to have several effects on our population as well:

• Stimulate good, sustainable jobs
• Build a resilient economy
• Making life more affordable for the middle class
• Ensuring clean air
• Fight inequality
• Provide more opportunities in nature
• Improve our climate resilience

Summary for the Average Homeowner

Overall this plan will mean a few things for the average Canadian. The price on carbon will maintain the path that will make carbon heavy options, such as oil and poor gas efficiency, more expensive every year. The collection of this carbon tax will help pay for incentive programs will provide loans, grants, or rebates on low emissions options, like heat pumps for houses, or hybrid and electric vehicles. A transition will occur to reduce shipping overall, encouraging more local opportunities, and also in the job market as greener, more sustainable jobs, will begin to replace more high-emission relate careers.