Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all Canadians

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment advocates for the Clean Electricity Regulations to ensure a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, emphasizing the need for interim targets and the removal of exemptions for emitting assets. The statement highlights that Canada's electricity sector was the sixth largest source of domestic greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, particularly in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia. It links the phase-out of coal and gas to significant health benefits, noting that coal causes severe respiratory and neurological issues, while gas plants are associated with adverse birth outcomes and increased hospital admissions for the elderly.

• The federal government aims for a net-zero electricity supply by 2035 to support a broader goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, aligned with the Paris Agreement and IPCC assessments.
• The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment recommends that the Clean Electricity Regulations prohibit emitting generation assets from operating past 2035 without exemptions and include interim targets to reach a 90% non-emitting grid by 2030.
• In 2020, Canada's electricity sector represented 8.4% of total national emissions, ranking as the sixth largest domestic source of greenhouse gases, with particularly high emissions in Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
• Transitioning to a clean grid is presented as a health imperative; coal is linked to cancer, brain damage, and premature death, while gas plants are associated with chronic bronchitis and adverse birth outcomes.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2023). Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all Canadians. https://cape.ca/stand-up-for-a-clean-reliable-electricity-grid-for-all-canadians/

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all Canadians. 2023. https://cape.ca/stand-up-for-a-clean-reliable-electricity-grid-for-all-canadians/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all Canadians |date=17 May 2023 |url=https://cape.ca/stand-up-for-a-clean-reliable-electricity-grid-for-all-canadians/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2023stand, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all Canadians}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://cape.ca/stand-up-for-a-clean-reliable-electricity-grid-for-all-canadians/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }