Bill C-12 (Historical)

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act

An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050

This bill was last introduced in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in August 2021.

Sponsor

Jonathan Wilkinson  Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment requires that national targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada be set, with the objective of attaining net-zero emissions by 2050. The targets are to be set by the Minister of the Environment for 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045.
In order to promote transparency and accountability in relation to meeting those targets, the enactment also
(a) requires that an emissions reduction plan, a progress report and an assessment report with respect to each target be tabled in each House of Parliament;
(b) provides for public participation;
(c) establishes an advisory body to provide the Minister of the Environment with advice with respect to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and matters that are referred to it by the Minister;
(d) requires the Minister of Finance to prepare an annual report respecting key measures that the federal public administration has taken to manage its financial risks and opportunities related to climate change;
(e) requires the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to, at least once every five years, examine and report on the Government of Canada’s implementation of measures aimed at mitigating climate change; and
(f) provides for a comprehensive review of the Act five years after its coming into force.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Votes

June 22, 2021 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050
June 22, 2021 Passed Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050
June 22, 2021 Passed Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050 (report stage amendment - Motion No. 2; Group 1; Clause 22)
June 22, 2021 Passed Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050 (report stage amendment - Motion No. 1; Group 1; Clause 7)
May 4, 2021 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050
May 4, 2021 Failed 2nd reading of Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050 (reasoned amendment)
April 27, 2021 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on May 17, 2021

  • Kristina Michaud, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ
  • Douglas Nevison, Assistant Deputy Minister, Climate Change Branch, Department of the Environment
  • John Moffet, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
  • Samuel Millar, Director General, Corporate Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Department of Finance
  • Christie McLeod, Articling Student, As an Individual
  • Claudel Pétrin-Desrosiers, Resident Physician and President, Association québécoise de médecins pour l'environnement
  • Reynold Bergen, Science Director, Beef Cattle Research Council, Canadian Cattlemen's Association
  • Alan Andrews, Climate Program Director, Ecojustice
  • Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Angela Crandall
  • Andrew Gage, Staff Counsel, West Coast Environmental Law Association
  • Fawn Jackson, Director, Policy and International Relations, Canadian Cattlemen's Association
  • Courtney Howard, Emergency Physician and Planetary Health Researcher and Policy Worker, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on May 19, 2021

  • Robert McLeman, Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wildfrid Laurier University, As an Individual
  • Caroline Brouillette, Policy Analyst, Climate Action Network Canada
  • Marc-André Viau, Director, Government Relations, Équiterre
  • Émile Boisseau-Bouvier, Analyst, Climate Policy and Ecological Transition, Équiterre
  • Kelly Marie Martin, Doctor and Epidemiologist, For Our Kids Montreal, Mothers Step In
  • Corey Loessin, Farmer and Chair, Pulse Canada
  • Greg Northey, Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, Pulse Canada
  • Laure Waridel, Co-Instigator, Eco-sociologist, Adjunct Professor at Université du Québec à Montréal, For our Kids Montreal, Mothers Step In
  • Paul Fauteux, Attorney and Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator, As an Individual
  • Shannon Joseph, Vice-President, Government Relations and Indigenous Affairs, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
  • Sabaa Khan, Director General, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, David Suzuki Foundation
  • Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Angela Crandall
  • Geneviève Paul, Executive Director, Québec Environmental Law Centre
  • James Meadowcroft, Professor, School of Public Policy, Carleton University, Transition Accelerator

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on May 20, 2021

  • David V. Wright, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary, As an Individual
  • Corinne Le Quéré, Professor, Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia, As an Individual
  • Tara Peel, Health, Safety and Environment Coordinator, Canadian Labour Congress
  • Toby Heaps, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Corporate Knights Inc.
  • Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Angela Crandall
  • Madhur Anand, Professor, School of Environmental Sciences and Director, Guelph Institute for Environmental Research, University of Guelph, As an Individual
  • Sarah Burch, Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Executive Director, Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change, As an Individual
  • Aaron Henry, Senior Director , Natural Resources and Sustainable Growth, Canadian Chamber of Commerce
  • Denis Bolduc, General Secretary, Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec
  • Normand Mousseau, Professor, Departrment of Physics, Université de Montréal, Scientific Director, Trottier Energy Institute
  • Patrick Rondeau, Union Advisor, Environment and Just Transition, Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on May 26, 2021

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on May 31, 2021

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on June 2, 2021

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on June 7, 2021

Environment and Sustainable Development Committee, on June 9, 2021

  • Émilie Thivierge, Legislative Clerk
  • Vincent Ngan, Director General, Horizontal Policy, Engagement and Coordination, Department of the Environment
  • John Moffet, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
  • Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Angela Crandall
  • Samuel Millar, Director General, Corporate Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Economic Development and Corporate Finance, Department of Finance