Environment committee  We would say yes.

Environment committee  We've already committed to having all of our plastics—

Environment committee  I have a small addition as well. Some of our members are also investing in pilot programs to help build collection capacity and help introduce new technologies like pyrolysis and chemical recycling. I believe you'll hear from Dow in the next couple of weeks. They have a program in the States that they will also initiate as a pilot here in Canada in the next few months.

Environment committee  That's correct.

Environment committee  Absolutely. One of the key elements of the sustainability strategies for all of our companies is really looking at the circular economy. We work very closely with our friends in the United States, the American Chemistry Council. Our industries are very much integrated and the members cross borders.

Environment committee  Absolutely. He is correct. There are portions of those plastics that aren't. Our companies have this window and this commitment to ensure that all their products are recyclable and recoverable by 2030. We have a 10-year window. It takes time for the R and D. They are working diligently at it and already have introduced a number of products that previously weren't recycled—things like stand-up pouches for food—that are now becoming inherently more recyclable.

Environment committee  It's totally worthwhile. He has it straight.

Environment committee  Our 2018 data was just recently released. We are a $55-billion industry.

Environment committee  Yes. We have $40 billion in exports and $20 billion in industrial chemical exports. We employ over 600,000 Canadians directly and indirectly. Directly, it's close to 92,000 Canadians. We also work under the ethic and principles of responsible care. It's something that we introduced as an association over 30 years ago.

Finance committee  We've been working closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada, through the G7 process and helping to support the development of the ocean plastics charter and the plastic innovation challenge. A lot of the work that has gone into the innovation challenge is interesting and can be applied to the work that Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment are about to undertake in developing a national framework for a zero plastic waste strategy.

Finance committee  I don't have the specific dollar figure for the Inter Pipeline polypropylene plant. One thing that is really interesting about that particular project is it's a $3.5-billion investment. It was announced at the beginning of the year here in Alberta. They've already injected over $650 million as part of the construction work so far.

Finance committee  It's about to be started—

Finance committee  It's an interesting problem. Actually, a number of our members are about to make final decisions on fairly large investments. You have Dow Chemical, which is looking at a $6-billion U.S. investment. It's a competition, really. They're looking at Argentina, they're looking at the U.S.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, members of the committee. It's good to see some of you again. I am here today to talk about the major investment and growth opportunities in Canada's chemical industry. I want to present my recommendations for the 2019 budget. You might have read recently eye-catching headlines last month saying that left unchecked, tax reform south of the border would put about 635,000 Canadian jobs at risk and potentially reduce Canada's GDP by $85 billion, or about 5% of the economy.