Environment Committee on March 12th, 2026

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Perfect. Thank you.

I have a follow‑up question for you or your colleagues, Mr. Campbell.

Last week, in Hochelaga‑Maisonneuve, the Secretary of State for Nature, Nathalie Provost, announced about thirty new habitat projects for endangered species for 2025‑26. Can you quickly give us an overview of the common benefits of this type of project? How do they benefit Quebec and Canada?

[Andrew Campbell]

I'll respond on behalf of Parks Canada. Obviously, Parks Canada has the advantage of providing more protection to endangered species in a number of national parks across the country.

These programs also involve Environment and Climate Change Canada. Ms. Shannon may be better positioned than I am to answer the question.

[Tara Shannon, Assistant Deputy Minister, Canadian Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment]

I'll respond quickly.

Last week's announcement was for about 31 projects to protect species at risk across the country. It's a long-standing program that we've had in place. They are small initiatives, but they are community- and place-based. We see that, through these initiatives, there are really good, targeted outcomes for species at risk.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Thank you.

I have a question for you, Ms. McDermott.

Feel free to jump in.

In January, 80 projects from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities were announced in Newfoundland and Labrador. Can you tell us about the positive impacts these projects will have in Newfoundland and Labrador and in the rest of Canada?

[Alison McDermott, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and International Affairs Branch, Department of the Environment]

These are broad investments being made under the national adaptation strategy as a means of supporting community resilience to climate change. It is being done in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities under the green municipal fund, which is investing over $530 million in adaptation projects through the local leadership for climate adaptation initiative. That is the broader program.

On the specific projects in question, I don't have a lot of details in front of me. However, we could share that there was a recent announcement in relation to some of these. They will bring benefits to support activities on the risk identification assessment and mitigation for municipalities in a lot of regions of Canada.

I'm happy to follow up on Newfoundland, if that's of interest.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Yes, that would be great if you could provide any examples from Newfoundland or Alberta so that my colleagues can see the great work that's being supported across Canada.

Mr. Campbell, on the previous questions, you had a hard time responding. I can give you 30 seconds, if you want to fully elaborate on some of your responses to my colleague's previous questions. You seemed to struggle a bit, for some reason.

[Andrew Campbell]

Yes, maybe I'll comment on those who have not yet rebuilt in Jasper.

We have been working with the Red Cross for social supports. The other thing they did was to go out with us to ask individuals why in fact they have not rebuilt. About 40% of them have had trouble obtaining quotes from builders to meet the conditions of their insurance. Another 25% of them have had trouble with their insurers to date. Therefore, the majority of issues that still exist within Jasper are between private individuals and their insurers.

We are working to see what we can do to assist with those, but certainly, from a permitting perspective, that no longer seems to be the issue.

[The Chair, Liberal, Angelo Iacono]

Thank you, Mr. Campbell.

Mr. Bonin, the floor is yours for six minutes.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

For the team from the Department of the Environment, I'd like to talk a bit about the spending cuts in the 2026‑27 budget. I understand that the grants have been cut by about $700 million as compared with the 2025‑26 budget. Has the contribution to the Canada Nature Fund actually been cut by $286 million in the budget?

[Kurt Chin Quee, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Department of the Environment]

Thank you for the question.

Yes, there is a decrease in our grants and contributions funding from 2025-26 to 2026-27. This is for two main reasons. One is the sunsetting of several temporary initiatives. Some examples of—

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

My question is this: Is the spending for the Canada Nature Fund actually being cut by approximately $286 million?

[Kurt Chin Quee]

The reduction for the enhanced nature legacy fund is $381.8 million.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay. That money was available before this year, but it's not there this year. Is there nothing to replace it?

[Kurt Chin Quee]

I think the minister alluded to this as well when she was here speaking. This is a sunsetter. It's one of our sunsetting initiatives. It's normal in any fiscal year for a number of initiatives to sunset. There's a regular process to seek renewal through the Department of Finance, and we have a number of decisions pending.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay.

Are there other amounts allocated to achieve the 30% protection target by 2030? There was $300 million, but that's no longer in the budget. Is it being replaced by something else?

[Kurt Chin Quee]

The funding is not being replaced at this time. It is sunsetting. However, we do have other funds within the nature program to support nature initiatives.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay.

Compared with the approximately $300 million dollars you mentioned, how many millions of dollars are being invested overall in these other initiatives? From what I understand, it's a smaller amount.

[Kurt Chin Quee]

I don't have the details in front of me for those particular items. We'd have to get back to you—

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

However, it's less than $300 million dollars, isn't it?

[Kurt Chin Quee]

I don't have the details in front of me on those items, but—

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Will you be able to provide that for us?

[Kurt Chin Quee]

Yes.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay.

I thought I saw a cut of 60%, or $147 million, in contributions to support the low carbon economy fund for 2026‑27. Is that correct?

[Kurt Chin Quee]

Yes, there is a reduction in our low-carbon economy fund. This is a fund that is being phased out as its funding cycle concludes, as the government is shifting focus to other areas, such as investment tax credits for clean energy. This actually represents one of the department's comprehensive expenditure review reductions.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

When do you expect to publish the departmental plan with more detailed explanations about the expenditures related to the votes for 2026‑27?