Evidence of meeting #15 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vehicle.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director, Mobility, Dunsky Energy and Climate
—but I can share a report that will provide that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Thank you, Mr. Turner.
Thank you, Mr. Bexte.
Mr. St‑Pierre, you have the floor for five minutes.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I reiterate my colleague's congratulations for being here today. Thanks for travelling and being here.
Mr. Turner, in 2024, you released a report on Canada's EV charging infrastructure and presented it to Natural Resources Canada. In it, you wrote the following: “Utility representatives also told us how important it is to have federal targets and regulations…”
First, can you provide the committee with a copy of that report? Second, can you explain why, in your opinion, these EV regulations are needed?
November 20th, 2025 / 12:45 p.m.
Director, Mobility, Dunsky Energy and Climate
Thank you for your question.
Of course, we can send you that report.
We've been in the room with electric utilities as they try to decide what forecast they should build their plan around. They're actively trying to decide what kinds of investments they need to make.
It used to be that, when we first started doing these kinds of forecasts in 2018, we would put forth several different scenarios for how many EVs might materialize on their service territory. Our job has become a lot easier as we've started talking about these regulated targets. It might actually put me out of a job because, frankly, if they can just point to a target and say, “Well, we know there are going to be at least this many EVs,” then that narrows in our forecast of what we need to build for, and we can focus on other challenges.
We've seen first-hand how that can really make it easier for these utilities to plan and also to make the case to their regulators that these are investments they can and should make, and that they are in the best interests of the ratepayers.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That's great. Thank you.
Mr. Hersh, I have a question for you.
On November 4, Environmental Defence Canada published a reaction online to budget 2025. Environmental Defence Canada said, “More positively, the government promises that the Climate Competitiveness Strategy will strengthen industrial carbon pricing, including strengthening the backstop...fixing the benchmark.” Further, it talks about other climate issues, such as methane regulations.
Can you provide a copy of this news release to the committee? Why does Environmental Defence think that certain climate policies, for example, industrial carbon price, are important?
Clean Transportation Program Manager, Environmental Defence Canada
Certainly we can provide a copy of that press release.
Again, it's not particularly my file, but obviously it's a good policy, and we were pleased to see things like that in the budget. I would defer to some of my other colleagues at Environmental Defence to respond to that question.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That's great.
Mr. Chair, I'd like to resume debate on my motion that I filed on October 31 to study the industrial carbon price.
A few weeks ago, I submitted this motion. I thought it was very important. It was adjourned, but I do think it's quite important. It is in budget 2025, which was passed earlier this week. The industrial carbon price is, according to the Canadian Climate Institute, one of the most effective climate policies.
I think it would be very pertinent for this committee to spend some time studying the industrial carbon price, so I'd like to go back and bring my motion to a vote.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
We are currently on a different study. You would have to move that we resume debate.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That's right. At the beginning, I said I'd like to move to resume debate on my October 31 motion.
Liberal
Conservative
Branden Leslie Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Sorry; just to clarify, is this to debate returning to the motion?
It's dilatory; okay.
(Motion agreed to)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Mr. Turner and Mr. Hersh, you're excused. Thank you again for coming.
Conservative
Conservative
Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
Why are they excused? We don't know how long it's going to take to discuss this.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
I'd like to ask the members if their wish is to excuse the witnesses or to have them stay behind and listen to the debate.
Conservative
Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB
I think the question at this point, Mr. Chair, if I may, is the fact that we have witnesses here. We are studying something that is very important, clearly, to the Liberals. Now, instead, they are disrupting their own witnesses to bring this forward. I'm just curious how long they plan on talking this out.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
As the motion was brought forward by MP St-Pierre, he has the floor now to speak on that motion.
The witnesses who are here will no longer be speaking.
As you can see from the clock, we are 10 minutes from the end of our meeting. Therefore, as a matter of courtesy, I made the comment to request that the witnesses leave.
If your wish is not to have them leave, then I'm going to bring this to a vote and we can decide that way.
All in favour of the witnesses leaving?
Mr. Bonin, the witnesses don't need to be here. As a courtesy, I would ask that they be free to leave. Are you okay with them leaving?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
You're free to go. Thank you.
We're resuming debate with Monsieur St-Pierre.
Liberal
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I'd like to bring the motion. I'm happy to read it out again. We have copies.
It reads:
Whereas Canada has committed under the Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5 C, and industrial carbon pricing is central to meeting those commitments;
Whereas industrial carbon pricing systems will be responsible for between 20 and 48 per cent of Canada's emission reductions in 2030;
Whereas industrial carbon pricing systems have an average impact of approximately 0 per cent on household consumption in 2025;
That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake a study on industrial carbon pricing, including Canada's Output Based Pricing System (OBPS), including design, effectiveness in reducing emissions, competitiveness, and carbon-leakage protections; that the Committee report its findings to the House, and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
