VICTORIA — Mark Zacharias, executive director at Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to Canada’s new 2035 emissions target of a 45% to 50% reduction below 2005 levels by 2035:
“There are two components to effective target setting: ambition and achievability. In this new 2035 target, the federal government has balanced both with a goal that builds on existing actions.
“Targets are meaningless without a roadmap to reach them. To its credit, the federal government produced a comprehensive plan to cut Canada’s emissions in line with its 2030 target—and it’s been working. Emissions are at their lowest levels in 27 years outside the pandemic. The new target will be key to maintaining this momentum and guiding new measures.
“To this end, the priority right now is to retain and finalize key policies and programs that will keep us within striking distance of these aspirations. Measures that make life more affordable for Canadians, in particular, should be at the top of the list—after all, ditching fossil fuels can shave hundreds of dollars a month off household energy bills.
“In particular, we would like to see the promised Greener Homes Affordability Program launched to help low-to-median-income households install heat pumps and retrofit their homes. We would also like to see the popular Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program, which is set to run out in early 2025, topped up to continue helping Canadians get behind the wheel of an EV.
“Indeed, while government-led climate action is important, the energy transition is about more than emissions reductions. It’s also about building an energy system that is cleaner, healthier, and more affordable. It’s about the technologies that will drive us to a truly net-zero future, and not just part of the way.
“A firm plan and a clear goal for the next decade are key to guiding Canada’s economy successfully through the energy transition. Investors need regulatory consistency and government vision when pumping billions into a manufacturing plant. Other countries are building toward the future, and Canada cannot afford to take a wrong step.
“A target is many things, least of all a number. A decade from now matters, but it’s the actions we take today that will make the difference.”
RESOURCES
Report | Opening the Door
Calculator | mycleanbill.ca
