Good morning, everyone.
Thank you for inviting me to appear before the committee today.
My name is Denis Leclerc and I am the president and CEO of Écotech Québec, which represents the clean technology industry in Quebec. I am currently in the beautiful riding of Saint-Laurent.
I am also the chairman of the board of directors of the Canada Cleantech Alliance, which brings together a multitude of cleantech organizations in Canada.
As you know, the pandemic has shaken a lot of people. It has shaken all societies. It has come on top of other crises that are already very serious, like climate change, which threatens our health and well-being. We need to find an adequate response to both crises.
For more than a year, a consensus has emerged across civil society, the private sector, and government on the need for a green recovery. The scale of spending required to revive the economy does present an unprecedented opportunity to positively transform our societies. That's why stimulus packages will need to make room for projects that will jumpstart our economy and make it more resilient while contributing to a more effective fight against climate change.
In fact, I draw your attention to the fact that the World Bank has mentioned that the most promising recovery projects should have the following three elements: a very short-term benefit for economic recovery and job retention; medium-term benefits for growth; and long-term sustainability and contribution to decarbonization, among other things by better integrating low-carbon technologies and strategies.
We believe that clean technologies and environmental and energy innovations must be at the heart of this recovery. These innovations are essential for sustainable growth and for the well-being of Canadians. They could allow us to do much better with little.
Of course there are several challenges in the sector. These include financing, market access in Canada or internationally, and securing direct and foreign investment.
These are challenges, but it is by encouraging technology deployment that we can collectively seize the opportunities in the current environment and thereby build a greener, more innovative and resilient economy as we emerge from the pandemic.
These innovations will improve business competitiveness and, of course, will also create jobs within innovative companies while addressing Canada's climate, environmental and economic priorities. Together, our efforts will make this recovery a springboard to positively transform our economy to be greener and more prosperous.
I look forward to answering your questions.
Thank you for your attention.