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Evidence of meeting #45 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was investment.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #45 for Finance in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was investment.
A video is available from Parliament.
4 p.m.
Director, Clean Energy Canada
We're at 65% clean electricity. Quebec and Ontario do have provincial incentives. As you know, Ontario has already phased out coal. That has already taken place. There is a need for additional policies to help actually shift us to reach that goal.
4 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
There's an argument often made by government—and I want to turn to Mr. Lambert next to talk about water—and it's the reason the Prime Minister didn't show up at the UN talks on climate, that we contribute only approximately 2% of global climate emissions right now, that other countries such as China and Russia and others are contributing more, and that Canada is doing enough.
I'm not sure what the rest of the argument goes like, but why does it matter if we're only putting 2% into the global supply of greenhouse gas emissions right now? Why would that matter? Why would our efforts matter globally?
4 p.m.
Director, Clean Energy Canada
Well, for quite a number of reasons: one, to actually combat climate change globally, every nation is going to need to do their fair share; and two, Canadians contribute a significantly higher proportion of emissions per capita than others in the world.
Frankly, we have a huge opportunity here. That's what I see in front of us. There is a huge opportunity for us to diversify and actually get into the clean energy business. We have both clean electrons that we could be producing more of—
4 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Something that would help with growth, jobs, and long-term prosperity or something like that for the country?
4 p.m.
Director, Clean Energy Canada
That's correct.
Also, there are jurisdictions such as Texas that have really gone all in and have put in place policies for supporting renewable energy. We think of Texas as an oil- and gas-producing jurisdiction. Frankly, Texas is the biggest wind supplier in the United States and is second in solar. That's just to say that these places are recognizing the value of investing in clean energy opportunities.
4 p.m.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Thank you.
Mr. Lambert, your group is asking for $10 million over a number of years. Some would say that the success that COSIA has had already over the last number of years is sufficient for bringing industry, municipalities, and environmental groups together.
You mentioned something about a socially acceptable way—I took that phrase—developing, fracking, and the oil sands in a socially acceptable way with respect to water.... You're from an oil company. Why would that matter to you at all? Why is water the trigger? Why is your network that you support, the Canadian Water Network, so good or able to be so good at promoting that conversation in Canada? Why does social acceptance matter to a project like this?
4 p.m.
Partner and Past Board Member, Executive Advisor, Sustainability and Innovation, Suncor Energy, Canadian Water Network
Quite simply, water being a public shared resource, it's important that you be able to convene multiple interests to take a focus on these issues and the solutions to them. The Canadian Water Network has developed this tremendous ability to convene diverse interests, to take science and translate it to practice in an effective manner. We think that capacity within Canada is very important. It's also of a national scale. In other words, if you scan across Canada, issues related to water are of many different natures and types.
The Canadian Water Network has the capacity to be a convenor wherever that type of activity is required, including fracking and including oil sands related....
4 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
Thanks to our witnesses for being here today.
I was just reminded at the beginning of the meeting that I went to elementary school with Merran Smith, so I'd better start by asking Merran a question. I haven't seen her in over 30 years.
4 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
4 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
It's probably close to 40 years, actually. I'm giving secrets away.
Merran, can you expand on your proposal to create a residential solar energy tax credit? I know you focused on solar energy, but are there other sources of clean energy that one could also focus on?
4 p.m.
Director, Clean Energy Canada
Yes. Of the three tax credits, two of them focused on solar in part because there has been good work done by the budget and there have been credits put towards wind, biomass, and other forms of renewable energy. Today we are focusing on solar. The third one, around power storage technology, will actually benefit all renewable energy technologies. We think the package of three will be a piece that helps support getting those off the ground.
October 1st, 2014 / 4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
Thank you very much.
My next question is for Catherine Cobden. Being a member of Parliament from British Columbia, I think I should ask the Forest Products Association a question as well.
Canada's forestry sector directly employs over 200,000 workers in all regions of the country, including in 200 communities that rely on this sector for at least 50% of their economic base. Our government has helped keep this vital industry strong with IFIT, the investments in forest industry transformation program, introduced in budget 2010, which has been successful in enabling Canadian forestry companies to lead the world in demonstrating the viability of innovative technologies that improve efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and create high-value products from Canada's world-class forest resources. Economic action plan 2014 built on this success by providing $90.4 million over four years, starting in 2014-15, to renew the IFIT program.
How can the government help to build on the success of the IFIT program?
4:05 p.m.
Executive Vice-President, Forest Products Association of Canada
Thank you very much for the question.
It's a very exciting time in the forest industry, which is what you are alluding to. We are seeing demonstrated successes out of that IFIT program. What we're asking for this time around is actually to fund the academic contribution to our innovation chain. The IFIT program does the commercialization and has helped us be the first in the world to take these new technologies to commercialization, but they never would have been able to get there without the academic engagement and the role of FPInnovations.
What we're really excited about is what additional ideas can come from colleges, from universities, from academics, and be done in ways that have practical, pragmatic application so that we can see more IFIT projects in the future. We're very excited by it.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
Thank you very much.
My next question is for the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. The mining industry is obviously a very important industry for my home province of British Columbia.
Could you elaborate on your proposal to enhance the targeted geoscience initiative? Will doing so help create jobs across the country?
4:05 p.m.
Member, Board of Directors, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada
The idea behind the targeted geoscience initiative is really to improve our understanding of mineral deposits, how they form, and more importantly how to find them. As you know, in the interior of British Columbia there are really large areas where there is quite a bit of cover. It is quite difficult to actually explore in those areas. Also, in advanced or mature mining camps, in many cases all of the near-surface deposits have been discovered, or you have situations where you have a lot of cover, such as around Timmins, where I work. It's actually quite difficult to explore in those environments.
The TGI is meant to actually improve our capacity and our efficiency in order to help us discover deposits under cover or at depth, or in areas where it's more difficult to attain.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Andrew Saxton Conservative North Vancouver, BC
Thank you.
My last question is for the National Angel Capital Organization.
Our government has provided record support to entrepreneurs with low taxes and investments such as the $400-million venture capital action plan, VCAP. How have your members benefited from the low taxes, and how have you been able to utilize the VCAP?
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Director, National Angel Capital Organization
I would say that our members have not necessarily benefited. It is the companies they invest in that benefit from our angel activities. We don't look at the personal gains of the individuals. That's not how we rank our activity.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Director, National Angel Capital Organization
How will low taxes help? They always help provide incentives for people to be more engaged in our companies and to work on this side of the border as opposed to taking their businesses to other jurisdictions.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Thank you, Mr. Saxton.
We'll go to Mr. Brison, for five minutes.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
On September 23 Canada's environment minister told the UN that Canada is “a clean energy leader”. Do you agree?