Evidence of meeting #59 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was plan.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
Because it's a choice that the industry has, if the industry chooses to pay into the tech fund, the tech fund will be liable to find projects that will have absolute reduction. It is a tech fund—
NDP
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
Yes. It is a technology fund within a regulatory system, so we will have to make sure that the projects will yield reductions.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
My last question is this. When the minister was here six months or so ago, we asked the question about the use of CDM credits and whether they were an option for Canada. He said no. At what point did that opinion change within the government?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
Following the consultations that took place, between the notice of intent and the decision that was announced on April 26, different representations took place. That's when the government made this decision to accept some of the CDM credits within its regulatory system.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
And have we filed our greenhouse gas emissions to the United Nations, as is required as of April 1 of this year?
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
Sir, are you referring to filing our 2005...?
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
No, it's 2005.
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
No, those have not been filed yet. We anticipate they will be shortly.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Okay, so we've behind the ball on that one a little bit. We're late.
I think the United States has filed. Australia has filed. I think we and Belarus haven't filed.
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
There are a couple of other countries that I can't remember. We're a little bit late, but not very late.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Are you anticipating doing so within days—that type of thing?
Special Advisor, Climate Change Policy, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of the Environment
I would say within the next few days to a few weeks.
NDP
Conservative
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here.
There was a similar presentation made on April 26 when the department provided some briefing to members of Parliament. I was there and I appreciated the briefing. I believe Mr. Bigras was there for about a half hour. I think much of the information that's being requested from you today would have been available if others had been there. But I thank you for being here today.
We've received a lot of information, but we're talking specifically about the framework that was introduced on April 26. As we've heard, the regulations were gazetted in October of last year, I believe. I appreciate your report and update on what led to the introduction of the framework in April, and also on the continued consultation that's going on. The government definitely is moving forward and getting it done.
Also I would point out that this is the first time a Canadian government has set greenhouse gas emissions and pollution targets for industry. I believe we're the first in the world to do that. Is that correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
With the work we have undertaken to benchmark air pollutants, that is the information we have collected, that we are the first in the world to go ahead with regulations that would cover air pollutants as well as GHGs for so many sectors at the same time.
Conservative
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
My understanding is that Canada will have one of the most stringent industrial regulation systems in the world. We're the only government to tackle both greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants together. Our targets are based on tougher standards than those of the leading jurisdictions in the world.
There was a question, I believe, from Mr. McGuinty regarding intensity-based targets. You've said more than once that it would be a 20% absolute reduction by 2020. The previous plan, the green plan introduced in 2005 by the previous government, also had intensity targets. Is that correct?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
The answer is yes.
Conservative
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
The previous plan of 2005 was based on intensity—
