Environment Committee on Dec. 2nd, 2020

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

The focus, yes, is on incremental trees.

As I say, we will be working with provinces and territories in the context of how these things get done. Of course, we want to partner with folks who have the relevant expertise, including lots of expertise in the province that you and I both come from.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Yes.

Your economic statement also says that there will be no money for planting this year, a small amount for next year, and then it will eventually start to spin up a couple of years from now.

Minister, a huge part of planting trees is ordering seedlings a year ahead of time. Is it really your intent to not even get started on this promise for three years, and then start planting in year four?

I think Canadians who heard your promise in 2019 assumed that the trees would be planted before 2024.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

I think Canadians know that nature-based solutions, which include both trees and the restoration of wetlands, are a priority for this government. I think they saw that in context when the Ontario Conservative government cancelled its commitment to tree planting and this government stepped in to provide the money through Forests Ontario to actually continue that program.

We also stepped in during the pandemic to ensure that we were providing money to folks who were doing existing tree planting to ensure that it got done. Because of money that the federal government brought to bear, 600 million trees were planted, and we are going to be rolling out this commitment, which is $3 billion, to plant two billion trees across this country, and that will begin next year.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Minister, getting on to your commitment, existing seedling production is largely focused on replanting commercially viable trees, yet you've said you want a more diverse portfolio of trees to encourage biodiversity—a goal which I support, as does my party—but two billion trees is a lot, and spinning up that kind of production will take time and money.

Again, you really don't plan to get this program going until 2023. How will you possibly have enough lead-time to develop these trees for planting before the middle of the decade?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

As I say, the focus is on expediting this process as quickly as possible. There are some things that obviously take time, as you have observed. I think you and I would agree that we want to get this going as quickly as we possibly can, and that's the work that folks are going to do. As you know, Natural Resources Canada has primary responsibility for this program, and they are working on it every day.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Minister, it's also up to you to make sure that the trees that are going to be planted are based on science and on what will increase biodiversity and support critical habitat. Could you please give us a little more elaboration? Are we simply going to be giving money to private companies that already have to do it to plant trees that don't support sequestering carbon or having more biodiversity in our forests?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Again, it's a very good question. No, it will not be going to subsidize forest product companies.

We just signed an agreement a few months ago with the Government of Alberta on replanting trees as part of a strategy to restore the habitat for boreal caribou in that province. Some of that money will be going to restore boreal caribou habitat. It will not be logged. It will be part of restoration to ensure that we are providing for the survival of that species.

That is something that Minister Nixon and I have worked hard on. Certainly some of the money that is associated with the trees will be going to support the Government of Alberta in its efforts to ensure the survival of that species.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

We will go to Mr. Baker, who is splitting his time with Ms. O'Connell.

Is that correct? Okay.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you very much, Chair.

Minister, which of the proposed financial allocations in the supplementary estimates will make the greatest contribution toward fighting climate change?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

As you know, on the allocations in supplementary estimates (B), the biggest impact, I would think, is on reducing emissions associated with the low-carbon economy fund. That is referenced in supplementary estimates (B) and is an important part of the pan-Canadian framework. The fund leverages investments in programs that create growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An example of this would be an announcement that I recently made at the University of British Columbia of almost a million dollars for a district waste heat recovery project. It will see a cumulative reduction of 14,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of taking 4,500 cars off the road.

I think you would also have seen the statements in the fall economic statement around climate change that include grants for people to refit their homes to improve energy efficiency; money to continue to build out electric vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure; and of course the reference to trees and wetlands, with significant funding to ensure that we are taking advantage of nature-based solutions as part of our fight against climate change.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you, Minister. I appreciate that.

Through vote 5b, the ministry will receive a transfer of $453,215 from the Treasury Board Secretariat for what's called “innovative approaches to reduce greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in government operations”. ECCC and Parks Canada are receiving 45.2% of all the funding for this Treasury Board Secretariat initiative. What innovative approaches is ECCC taking to reduce GHG emissions, and how will the funds support these initiatives?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Parks Canada and Environment Canada are undertaking four different initiatives. One is a northern housing greening initiative, which is focused on the development of a net-zero, carbon-ready, highly efficient residential unit that will support Parks Canada's carbon reduction goals in the north. We'll be working, obviously, in concert with NRCan.

The second is a renewable energy project associated with a place where we overwinter the horses for Parks Canada for the western national parks. It's called the Ya Ha Tinda horse ranch.

The third is money for a solar array at Kejimkujik campground, which is another Parks Canada initiative.

The fourth is an Environment Canada initiative that is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in departmental operations through the electrification of fleet vehicles.

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Thank you very much, Minister.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

Thank you.

Minister, I don't have a lot of time, but I'd like to go to the Parks Canada funding. I understand the piece for the shortfall, but in supplementary estimates (B) it also talks about urban parks. Obviously, I come from the riding with Rouge National Urban Park in it.

Can you speak to any of the supports for that and to the recognition during COVID of how important proximity to green spaces and parks is for the community?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Irrespective of partisan affiliation, I think we all have come to understand how important these spaces are for Canadians. Ensuring that we have access to places where we can get outside, appropriately physically distance, and enjoy nature has become enormously important in the context of us all spending a lot more time indoors.

Certainly Rouge national park is a powerful example. It's kind of a jewel in the network of how we can help to better connect Canadians with nature and provide them opportunities to get out into nature. It is certainly something we are looking at replicating in other urban centres across the country to ensure that we are appropriately connecting Canadians with nature—because that's an important part of the Canadian identity—and ensure that we are continuing to give people access to the outdoors that they want and that we've seen.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

Thank you.

If I have time for another quick one, I have Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe in my riding. On the funding for the Great Lakes and the supports for effluent treatment, can you elaborate briefly on these supports and how they will help ensure the Great Lakes continue to be great? How they will improve the water quality in our communities?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

It's a good question. There are obviously lots of important issues around the Great Lakes in terms of runoff, trying to stop some of the algae issues and dealing with some of the broader issues. Environment Canada has definitely been putting a lot of funding into that. It's certainly something that we are working on.

In terms of waste water, we've put in almost $5 billion in spending on waste-water treatment facilities over the past five years. We will continue to do that.

I think we need to continue to encourage municipalities to move to higher levels of treatment so that we are actually doing a better job of ensuring that clean water is maintained on a go-forward basis.

Of course, we have committed to stand up the Canada water agency, which is going to look at the priorities on a regional basis for water. Certainly the Great Lakes are one of the most important areas in Ontario.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

Do I have time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

You have about 15 seconds.

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

It's okay, then. Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

Madame Pauzé is next.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

If I may, Mr. Minister, I will go back to trees.

Planting two billion trees will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, GHGs, by 30 megatonnes by 2030. However, moving forward with the Trans Mountain project will produce 620 megatonnes more GHG emissions by 2030. I'm sure you are aware of these numbers, Mr. Minister.

In addition, it seems this promise is the government's main strategy to combat climate change. At the briefing on Bill C-12, however, officials said you are supposed to table a plan to fight climate change by the end of 2020. That means very soon.

Can you tell us on which exact date we will see this plan?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Thank you very much for the question, Ms. Pauzé.

It is, of course, very important to consider nature-based solutions, such as planting trees or preserving wetlands, as part of a comprehensive plan to combat climate change. We also need to think about all sources of GHG emissions in Canada. These emissions can be caused by industrial activity, waste management, and many other things.

We have developed a plan and will unveil it in the coming weeks.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Minister, but I wish you could give me a more exact date.

You introduced Bill C-12, and we introduced Bill C-215. Both of these bills extend several responsibilities to the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, such as making recommendations and conducting thorough audits. However, nothing would be binding on the organizations being audited.

It would be worthwhile to include in the mandate a measure that would cost taxpayers nothing and that would have a positive impact on government accountability and environmental protection. The measure would involve giving the commissioner status and powers commensurate with the importance of his functions.

Would you agree that a measure like that should be implemented?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Minister, I think you're on mute.