Search Climate Insights Directory

The briefing argues that cities are critical for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and presents an IISD tool that uses official Statistics Canada data to monitor SDG indicator trends in 13 major Canadian cities. Because global indicators cannot be directly applied to cities due to data limitations, the initiative identifies 12 specific indicators to track progress from 1995 to 2030. The tool aims to help policy-makers identify performance gaps, assess the feasibility of targets, and facilitate cross-scale coordinated action between municipal, provincial, and federal governments.

The report analyzes the landscape of cosmetic pesticide bans in Canada, evaluating the effectiveness of various provincial and municipal regulatory frameworks. It argues that the most protective laws utilize 'white lists' of approved low-risk pesticides, maintain a broad scope of coverage across all landscaping elements, and combine legal prohibitions with robust public education and enforcement. The document highlights significant gaps in jurisdictions like Alberta and British Columbia, while praising the comprehensive approaches of Ontario and Nova Scotia.

The 2016 CAPE Scorecard evaluates Canadian provincial bans on cosmetic pesticides, ranking Ontario as the highest providing 'Excellent Protection' with a score of 9. Other provinces such as Nova Scotia and Manitoba are rated as 'Good Protection', while Quebec provides 'Some Protection'. Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland & Labrador are rated as providing 'Little Protection', and Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia are listed as providing 'No Protection'.

The document argues that Internet policy must move beyond technical management to include broad societal impacts on rights, security, and sustainable development. It advocates for a multistakeholder model involving government, the private sector, civil society, and academia to ensure legitimacy and effectiveness. The toolkit details eight specific tools—ranging from expert roundtables and policy mapping to online surveys and public forums—designed to generate evidence and foster public consent. It emphasizes 'adaptive policy making' and the principle of subsidiarity, suggesting that policy action should occur at the lowest jurisdictional level consistent with effectiveness.

The report outlines a comprehensive engagement strategy for Canadian youth (ages 13-29) to combat climate change, moving beyond simple marketing to a model of active engagement. It identifies a significant 'knowledge-behaviour gap' where youth are aware of issues like recycling but do not act, often due to a lack of trust in institutional mechanisms and a perceived lack of action by elders. The proposed strategy is structured around three interrelated streams: information and awareness campaigns, capacity building for youth (focusing on employment and leadership), and community actions. Key recommendations include tailoring messages to specific segments—such as aboriginal youth and 'early adopters'—and integrating climate education into school curricula from Grade 1. The strategy emphasizes that youth should be recognized and rewarded for their contributions and that success requires visible commitment from older Canadians and institutions.

The report analyzes the regulatory landscape of aesthetic pesticides in Canada, noting that while over 200 municipal bylaws have been adopted since the 2001 Supreme Court decision in Hudson v. Spraytech, effectiveness varies by scope and enforcement. It highlights that 'white lists' of safe products and broad bans covering all landscaping elements are more effective than narrow bans limited to lawns. Evidence from Ontario and Toronto shows significant reductions in pesticide presence in water and usage (up to 83% and 57% respectively) following bans. The document recommends removing exceptions for golf courses, implementing permit systems, and combining legal mechanisms with public awareness and enforcement.

The document argues that while Canada has made progress in decarbonizing power supply, achieving net-zero requires Energy Systems Integration (ESI)—the coordination of energy systems across multiple pathways and scales. It examines five key ESI technologies (electric vehicles, heat pumps, demand response, distributed generation, and hydrogen) and finds that Canadian policy is currently too siloed, relying on voluntary 'soft' incentives rather than systemic market reforms or mandatory legislation. The author highlights significant gaps in information, governance, and implementation, suggesting that a holistic, pan-system approach to modelling and planning is essential to avoid sub-optimal infrastructure lock-in.

The report examines the current state of Energy Systems Integration (ESI) in Canada, focusing on five key technologies: electric vehicles, heat pumps, demand response, distributed generation, and hydrogen. It argues that while Canada has successfully decarbonized its electricity grid, further progress requires coordinating energy vectors and scales. The author identifies significant barriers, including fragmented governance, a lack of integrated modeling, and a policy landscape dominated by voluntary 'soft' incentives rather than systemic mandates. The document recommends replacing sectoral subsidies with market reforms that remunerate grid flexibility and implementing integrated modeling platforms to guide coordinated infrastructure investments.