Evidence of meeting #25 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 vehicles.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Thank you, Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Ross.
Mrs. Miedema, the floor is yours for five minutes.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
Thank you very much.
Thank you for being here, Minister.
I, too, would like to offer congratulations on our auto strategy. Not only do I think it's a really wonderful path forward, but I also think it's another example of the way our government is trying to really consider environment and climate issues and address the crisis across all of the major work we're doing across all of the departments. I've heard you say before that when the environment and climate become part of the thinking across all departments and all ministers, this is how we actually get things done.
I saw first-hand, and drove first-hand, that very thing in Halifax when I was working as the director of environment and climate change for the city. The way we saw progress, buy-in and momentum really involved all departments and just making it a necessary consideration across all major work.
I give you huge congratulations on that.
I will ask my first question in French.
Clauses 595 and 596 would make it easier for provinces, territories and indigenous governments to manage regulations without those regulations having to be completely identical to those in CEPA.
What are the benefits of co-operative federalism, where the federal government gives more decision-making power to the various levels of government?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
First, I'm very pleased that you used some of your time to talk about everything you've done for the environment in your work in Halifax. It had an impact. I saw it myself, when I was parliamentary secretary and we were there to set up charging stations, among other things. I also saw the work that was done to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
It's important to see how we need to work, and your question kind of illustrates what this is about. It's not just about the federal government. We need to work with other governments to get results. We have to accept that things are different in different parts of the country and facilitate co-operation.
When we can enter into an equivalency agreement with a province, that means that the province has the same objectives and wants to achieve the same end result, but perhaps it will do so in a slightly different way.
The changes we are proposing in this bill will give us more flexibility to conclude these agreements. As I said earlier, the provinces have to achieve the same end results, but perhaps they will have another way of getting there.
Something that is very important for us is the fact that these agreements could last longer than five years. Right now, we can only implement five-year agreements. This means that, shortly after we have reached an agreement, we have to start negotiations again. It wastes a lot of time and energy, and it doesn't allow us to do long-term planning.
So the changes proposed in this bill will help us work better with the provinces and reach agreements that allow for long-term planning.
Liberal
Shannon Miedema Liberal Halifax, NS
Thank you.
It sounds like it's being optimized and it's more efficient, and it sounds like we're reducing red tape and being more flexible. It all sounds like great news, especially from a government perspective.
Extreme weather events are having a major impact, as we all know, on the well-being of our communities across Canada, including Halifax and Nova Scotia. Our committee has recently been conducting a study on the impacts of extreme weather events driven by climate change. This is focused mainly on the insurance industry, but also on the very real impacts of extreme weather on all Canadians.
How is our government taking action in the budget implementation act to combat increased extreme weather?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
It's very important that you're highlighting the fact that climate change is real. I'm not trying to say this in a light way. Communities are feeling the impact right now.
There are two pieces. One, how do we fight climate change and its continued impacts? Two, how do we help Canadians manage through this and be able to adapt?
In fact, I believe I was with you in Halifax when we announced that we were helping municipalities, including smaller municipalities, to come up with those plans so they can better protect themselves and plan for the future.
Those are very tactile projects that help small communities right across our country, and it's important that we continue to do that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Thank you.
Mr. Bonin, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Chair, I would like to ask my colleagues if they agree to give one minute of our speaking time to our honourable colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands, who is here. I am prepared to do so, but I would like to know if my colleagues are, as well.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Okay, but I am asking my colleagues if they are in favour of this proposal.
The Liberals are in favour of it.
Are my Conservative colleagues in favour of it?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Angelo Iacono
Again, you can use your time as you wish. You don't need anyone else's permission to do that.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
I see that my Liberal colleagues are in favour of it. That's great, thank you. I hope it will be done.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister, on the finance side, we've heard about the increase and the extension of the carbon capture and sequestration subsidies in the last budget. It's an additional $3 billion by 2035 for oil and gas companies, among others.
Do you have the same number as I do, in terms of additional funding for these subsidies?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
There's the investment tax credit for carbon capture, but there's also one for clean electricity.
Bloc
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
—investment tax credit for clean electricity. That's a big thing for Quebec and for Hydro‑Québec.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
What I would say is that it's very important that we have the support of the Bloc Québécois to pass this bill. That way, we can have a clean electricity system.
Liberal
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
Okay. So you are confirming that it is $3 billion.
Have you calculated how much the agreement between Canada and Alberta represents in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to the regulations in place, particularly with regard to methane, emissions caps and clean electricity?
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
I'm very glad you asked me that question, as it's not a step backwards. We're going to do something new. It's an equivalency agreement, and that's exactly what we're talking about today. When we enter into equivalency agreements with provinces, they have to demonstrate that they will achieve the same results. They just have another way of getting there.
Bloc
Patrick Bonin Bloc Repentigny, QC
So you're telling me that an additional pipeline with a capacity of 1 million barrels a day, or 300,000 barrels a day in the case of the TMX project, while taking into account the delay in reducing methane emissions, will produce equivalent results.
Liberal
Julie Dabrusin Liberal Toronto—Danforth, ON
There is no delay in reducing methane emissions. As I said, we have methane regulations, which were finalized in December, and we think they will reduce methane emissions by 62%. Then, on the other side, we have other measures that we need to have.
I know you always like to talk about pipelines. Recently, we saw that the Parti Québécois passed a resolution saying that it would not ban pipelines—