Evidence of meeting #18 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 pipeline.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Thank you, Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Leslie.
Ms. Miedema, the floor is yours for six minutes.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, Minister. It's great to have you here.
Having done climate work for so long at the local government level, I know that it's important to have really ambitious targets and plans, but also that you need everyone on board to do them. That's all levels of government, and that's utilities, the business community, our non-profits and the public.
I'm really excited that the next study this committee is going to look at is one that I proposed. It's on the insured and uninsured losses that happen with extreme weather events and the kind of framework we need in order to protect people going forward.
Could you explain the economic consequences of delaying climate action and why consistent policies are important for both our communities and our businesses?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
That's a really good question, because one of the things that I think gets missed in a lot of the noise we hear, in the House of Commons especially, is that climate change and not taking action on climate change have a real cost right now. You can see it in the cost of food. One of the largest impacts on the increased cost of food is climate change. It happens when there are droughts and when there are floods. All of these types of things impact the cost of food as we move forward.
Beyond that, there is also a competitiveness moment for this country, and Canada has a real edge. Nine of the top 100 clean-tech companies are based in Canada. We are second only to the United States in the number of companies on that list. There's a real moment, and if we don't meet it, we lose economic opportunities for our country. That is something that we need to consider.
When we put forward the climate competitiveness strategy, a big part of that was making sure that we were creating certainty and predictability for industry so that industry can go to where the global economy is going, and the global economy is going to net zero. When I was at the G7 and when I was at COP30, that kept on being reinforced. If Canada wants to be able to have a space and to lead in that economy or even to be able to access diversified trade markets, making sure that we have sound climate policies here is important in being able to reach those opportunities.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
Thank you for that.
Can you please touch on how impact assessments on projects that are assigned to the Major Projects Office will continue to protect our environment, species and habitat, and indigenous rights?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
As we break down what happens when we say that we're referring a project to the Major Projects Office, there are two pieces: the Major Projects Office and the Building Canada Act.
We've referred many projects over to the Major Projects Office. That is really a chance to have some streamlining and extra support in putting the pieces together. Through that environmental assessment process, the Impact Assessment Agency very much remains a part of the process of assessing those projects going forward.
Then there's also the Building Canada Act, which has clean growth and climate objectives for our country in its criteria. In our budget, we are proposing to reinforce the Building Canada Act by including wording on the application of a climate lens to projects.
Right now, those are the two pieces we have, but the projects that have been referred right now are with the Major Projects Office.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
That's excellent.
Minister, you touched on the climate competitiveness strategy. Can you tell us a little more about how this strategy could create jobs for Canadians, how it could drive emissions down—you spoke to investment already—and the major pushes it's going to provide as a strategy?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
One of the things that really strikes me in the conversations I have with many different kinds of industry is that they want to have very clear, predictable rules as to the environment they're working within. Having a very clear industrial carbon price so that they know what the credit prices are and what they'll be facing helps them to make sure that they're investing towards that.
The main piece that I think is so very important about the climate competitiveness strategy is that it creates that predictability and that certainty for industry moving forward. We have said that we are committed to continuing with it.
The other piece is that when we look at global markets like the European Union, we see that they have carbon border adjustments. We're seeing that in the U.K. as well. We're seeing that with different markets that we're trying to access as we diversify our trade. Making sure that we have these climate policies in place helps us access those markets and can give Canada an edge, and that's what we really need to do in this moment.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
We heard all through witness testimony on EVs as well that market certainty is absolutely the most critical piece.
Thank you so much.
Liberal
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, Madam Minister. Thank you for being here. We're pleased to welcome you to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development for the first time, especially given current events.
Last week, Alberta and the federal government announced an agreement for a new pipeline that will transport one million barrels of oil from the oil sands per day.
Are you in favour of such a pipeline?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
I'm glad you asked me about this MOU with Alberta, because it includes a number of things—
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Minister, the question is this: Do you support a new pipeline to transport one million barrels of oil from the oil sands per day?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
The process set out in the agreement is important, because it means that British Columbia's agreement is needed—
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
No. What I mean, if you'll let me finish my sentence, is that this is an agreement that needs—
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
I'll ask my question in a different way: Are you in favour of a new pipeline to transport one million barrels of oil from the oil sands per day, yes or no?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
It's not for me to decide. It's important that the Province of British Columbia and indigenous people come to an agreement. It's not up to me—
Bloc
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
That's the difference between us and the Conservatives. In the House, the Conservatives say that the decisions are theirs and that they will enforce them. We say that we're going to work—
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Minister, I'll let you speak to the Conservatives when they ask you questions.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
I'm telling you that we have to work with the provinces and that we're ready to do so.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
So, as Minister of Environment and Climate Change, you have no opinion on a new pipeline that would transport one million barrels of oil from the oil sands per day.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
No, what I'm saying is that the proposal for the project—