Canada's Domestic Action

The Government of Canada is taking a constructive approach to achieve real environmental and economic benefits for Canadians. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has invested close to $10 billion in green infrastructure, energy efficiency, clean energy technologies and the production of cleaner energy and cleaner fuels.

Economic Action Plan

Canada's Economic Action Plan includes approximately $1.8 billion of green investments designed to protect the environment, stimulate our economy and transform our technologies. The Government of Canada committed $795 million over five years for clean energy research and demonstration projects, including $650 million for large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, and $1 billion for a Green Infrastructure Fund that will support modern energy transmission lines and sustainable energy projects.  

Carbon Capture and Storage

Together, governments in Canada are investing over $3 billion in commercial-scale CCS demonstration projects between now and 2015. These projects will be public-private partnerships designed to leverage private investments and reduce the commercial cost of CCS. Canada is a world leader in CCS, and we are in an excellent position to use this technology on a wide scale and to support its deployment globally. We are also building on our leadership role in the development of new, clean technologies by helping found the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute, a new global partnership to advance CCS technologies.

Vehicle Regulations

On April 1, 2010 Environment Canada released the proposed Passenger Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations. These tough new regulations align with the mandatory national standards of the United States beginning with the 2011 model year.

Through the implementation of the proposed standards, it is anticipated that the average greenhouse gas emissions from the 2016 Canadian fleet of new cars and light trucks will be reduced by approximately 25 percent from those sold in 2008.

We will continue working together with the U.S. on this initiative. Given our deeply integrated automotive industry, there are significant environmental and economic benefits to a harmonized approach for both countries.

Clean Energy

Canada boasts one of the cleanest electricity systems in the world with three-quarters of our electricity supply emitting no greenhouse gases. This Government is committed to building on this strength and leading the world in clean electricity generation as part of its overall strategy to combat climate change.

The Government of Canada will also continue to support, and promote clean energy by providing funding for research in clean energy technologies such as carbon capture and storage. The Clean Energy Fund will support large-scale carbon capture and storage demonstration projects as well as smaller-scale demonstration projects of renewable and alternative energy technologies. Three carbon capture and storage projects have already been announced in Alberta, totaling up to $466 million from the fund.

To further our ambitious national goals, our Government has also invested $4.2 billion in the ecoENERGY Initiatives to encourage the production of cleaner energy and cleaner fuels and increase energy efficiency.

Additional Initiatives

Canada's comprehensive environmental agenda also includes:

• the $4.2 billion ecoENERGY Initiatives, which include home retrofit grants and funding for renewable power projects;
• the ecoTransport Strategy;
• support for public transit;
• action to expand the production and regulate the use of biofuels; and
• adaptation measures.