Evidence of meeting #92 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was corson.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Answer very briefly, Minister, before we go on to Mr. Longfield.
Liberal
Steven Guilbeault Liberal Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
You should talk to the provinces that are developing those projects.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Mr. Kram, we're done. We're way over time.
Go ahead, Mr. Longfield.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here. What a terrific discussion we're having today. You're certainly fielding a range of questions.
I'd like to go back to the supplementary estimates that you're here to discuss with us. In the estimates, there's $33 million that's included in support of initiatives to help transition us to the cleaner fuels that you're talking about, things that will help us in terms of preventing pollution. I'm looking at how we change behaviours through $33 million on measures to prevent pollution, as we're introducing clean fuel standards to try to provide both a carrot and a stick.
Liberal
Steven Guilbeault Liberal Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
If you don't mind, Mr. Longfield, our friend, Mr. Moffat—
John Moffet Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
The money that you're referring to is money that has come to the department to support the implementation of those regulations.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
That's right. Is supporting the implementation helping in the transition?
December 14th, 2023 / 1:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
It's to hire staff and to make permanent the staff that we hired to develop the regulations. We also need electronic reporting systems that we maintain. We have staff that are required to support the implementation of those systems, to answer questions, to do compliance promotion and that sort of thing. This is standard with respect to any kind of regulation that we develop.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Okay. Thank you for clarifying.
In the supplementary estimates, there is also $139 million for conservation initiatives, $291 million for the Canada nature fund and additional funding to help protect species at risk. Could you share with the committee the progress that our government's making to protect species at risk, while conserving our natural environment, something near and dear to us in Guelph because of the greenbelt initiatives and the other initiatives down in Niagara?
Liberal
Steven Guilbeault Liberal Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Thank you very much for the question.
When our government came into power in 2015, Canada wasn't protecting even one percent of our oceans and coastlines. Next year, we should be at 20%, which is a staggering jump. In 2015, we were protecting about 10% of our terrestrial lands. At the end of 2024, we will be at roughly 20%.
We're on our way to meeting our interim goal of protecting 25% of each of these categories by 2025 and on our way to at least 30% for each by 2030 as per the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thank you.
I may have confused the $33 million with the $34 million that is being put into the clean fuel regulations to help with innovations.
Could you share with the committee how introducing innovations at the same time as clean fuel regulations will help people avoid the costs of doing nothing, particularly in the agriculture sector?
Liberal
Steven Guilbeault Liberal Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
We can get back to you in writing for this specific question.
We are obviously supporting the development of innovation in the fuel sector. We've seen about $2 billion worth of projects being announced, whether it's in Saskatchewan, your province—my apologies—Quebec or Newfoundland, for biofuels. In some cases, traditional refineries are being retrofitted to accommodate these innovations.
I believe some of this money is used to support companies as they develop new technologies and implement them.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Great. Thank you.
I know I'm getting really short on time. I wonder, Mr. Chair, if I could make a motion to adjourn.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
We have to vote on it.
The minister said he'd give us an hour.
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
The notice of meeting says 1:30.
This is the first time I've had a chance since being elected to ask this minister a question, and this member decides to adjourn on behalf of his minister. That's not acceptable.
Liberal
