Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague and friend from Canada's second-newest political party, the CCF for the question.
From day one, our party has been focused on helping the middle class. We have programs like the Canada child benefit, that is putting more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, and we have a tax cut for the middle class that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%. Now, by putting a price on pollution, we are making life even more affordable for Canadians and more expensive for polluters.
I can confirm with my hon. colleague that the plan will involve keeping the revenues generated from putting a price on pollution in the province where those revenues are generated.
This is evidence that steps taken to protect the environment can in fact spur economic growth. It is possible to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time.
With respect to the dividends of a price on pollution, our government's focus will remain on helping middle-class families in Canada. We know that any real plan to tackle climate change is going to involve a price on pollution. Pollution should not be free. Our plan is the most cost-effective way to reduce emissions while driving clean innovation and creating new jobs in the green economy.
According to the World Bank earlier this year, approximately 70 different jurisdictions were putting a price on pollution. We have evidence right here in Canada that putting a price on pollution works to cut emissions while maintaining economic growth. Nearly half of Canadians already live in a jurisdiction that puts a price on pollution.
B.C. has had a price on pollution for over a decade, and evidence shows it has helped cut fuel consumption and GHGs while the economy continued to experience growth. Alberta, where I used to live, has had a price on pollution for many years, and has among the highest employment rates in our entire country.
We know that Canadians are smart and innovative. Many Canadian companies are developing and implementing new technologies and solutions to cut pollution. In fact, Canadians have created over 500,000 jobs since we took office. Carbon pricing spurs innovation because the price signal it sends encourages businesses and households to be more efficient and pollute less. This government's preference has been to work with individual provinces and territories, if they are willing to take the responsible step and put forward a plan that will have a meaningful impact on emissions in their province.
Let me be clear: Canadians gave us a mandate in the 2015 election to protect the environment and grow the economy at the same time. Our plan at that time involved putting a price on pollution. The government has been consistent, saying that the revenue generated from putting a price on pollution is going to stay in those provinces.
Our approach allows for the flexibility for provinces and territories to choose the pricing system that works best for them. However, to deliver on the climate commitments we made with the provinces and territories in the pan-Canadian framework, we are going to ensure that there will be a price on carbon pollution throughout Canada.
That is why the Government of Canada is going to implement a federal pollution pricing system in provinces and territories that request it and in those that do not have a system that aligns with the federal standard.
Clean growth represents a massive economic opportunity around the world, one that the World Bank estimates will be worth $23 trillion globally between now and 2030. We want to be on the front edge of that wave.
We are taking action to ensure that the Canadian economy takes maximum advantage of this opportunity. Putting a price on pollution is a key part of this, by creating an incentive to reduce emissions and invest in innovation. Given the report that we saw in the National Post last night, we know it is going to be a net benefit for middle-class families in provinces and territories throughout Canada.