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Buildings account for 18% of Canada's GHG emissions, with residential space heating as the primary energy driver. The document argues that deep energy retrofits (DERs)—defined as achieving a minimum 50% reduction in energy consumption—are essential for net-zero targets. While high upfront costs are a barrier, the green building industry could contribute CAD 150 billion to the economy by 2030, with annual energy bill savings estimated at CAD 10.8 billion. The brief recommends adopting the highest tier of the National Building Code, implementing innovative financing like Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), and scaling prefabricated retrofit models like Energiesprong.

The policy brief outlines how climate change and historical land management have increased wildfire risk across Canada, leading to record-breaking seasons and significant financial losses. It proposes five key government interventions: restricting development in high-hazard zones, mandating fire-resilient building codes, implementing fuel management and Indigenous cultural burning, increasing firefighting capacity, and accelerating carbon emission reductions.

The building sector accounts for 18% of Canada's GHG emissions, necessitating a focus on upgrading approximately 11 million existing residential buildings. Achieving net-zero requires a balance of deep energy retrofits (DERs), fuel-switching to heat pumps, and expanding clean electricity. An annual investment of CAD 10-15 billion until 2040 could generate 200,000 jobs and CAD 48 billion in economic development. The document recommends strengthening building codes, implementing PACE financing, and integrating energy efficiency with affordable housing policies.

The report examines the impact of eco-certification on Manitoba's commercial fisheries, which export 80% of their catch to international markets, primarily the U.S. and Europe. It highlights that eco-certification can protect market value, with avoided losses estimated at CAD 250 per CAD 1 invested for large lakes and CAD 16 per CAD 1 for small lakes. The document recommends prioritizing buyer relationships in northwestern Europe and increasing communication between fishers and federal decision-makers.

The Anishnabe Moose Committee (AMC) identifies the decline of moose in the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve and the broader Ottawa River watershed as a result of colonial practices, including industrial logging, unsustainable sport hunting, and climate change. The authors argue that standard wildlife management plans and co-management agreements are insufficient because they do not address the root cause: the imposition of colonial government control and the disruption of traditional Anishnabe governance. They propose a process of treaty renewal, starting with a community-led forum for knowledge sharing among eastern Indigenous nations, to restore Indigenous sovereignty and decision-making over land use. This approach is presented as a critical climate adaptation strategy to ensure the survival of the moose and the health of the ecosystem for future generations.

The paper emphasizes that Canada's transition to clean energy depends on expanding electricity transmission, which requires the active inclusion and ownership of Indigenous communities. It highlights the 'triple advantage' of Indigenous ownership—economic, social, and environmental—and provides five pragmatic recommendations for policymakers to support this integration. These include implementing a '5 Cs' framework (capital, clarity, capacity, corruption-free champions, and community champions), integrating traditional knowledge from Elders, and avoiding prescriptive, one-size-fits-all participation models. The authors argue that without such partnerships, the country cannot effectively move renewable energy from remote resource-rich areas to urban centers or eliminate persistent energy poverty in remote communities.

The document advocates for a shift in focus from Indigenous clean energy generation to transmission infrastructure, presenting it as a critical 'anchor' for Canada's climate goals. It outlines a '5 Cs' framework (cash, clarity, capacity, corruption-less, and community champions) to support deployment and provides five recommendations for policymakers to foster Indigenous-centric transmission integration, emphasizing the role of Elders, flexible participation models, and the alignment of transmission projects with Indigenous values of land preservation.

The briefing identifies three primary disinformation narratives used to deflect from climate change during the 2025 Canadian wildfire season: the emphasis on arson (including conspiracy theories about 'climate change agendas'), claims of government mismanagement of resources, and accusations of 'fearmongering' by political leaders. Monitoring from April 21 to June 20, 2025, shows these narratives are most prevalent on X and right-wing outlets, often utilizing 'junk science' to discredit peer-reviewed data. The document recommends that Canadian policymakers enact laws against greenwashing, adopt a robust definition of climate disinformation, and require transparency from large online platforms to mitigate the influence of fossil fuel-backed disinformation networks.

Canada possesses significant reserves of six priority critical minerals—cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, nickel, and rare earth elements—essential for the global energy transition. However, current investment is insufficient to meet a projected domestic demand of over $16 billion per year by 2040. The report identifies three primary risks deterring investors: financial volatility, environmental liabilities, and risks to Indigenous rights. To address these, the authors recommend that the federal government implement financial risk-sharing agreements (such as contracts for difference and equity investments), scale up capacity-building and capital access for Indigenous communities, and mandate global environmental standards for tailings management. The report warns that attempting to speed up project approvals by cutting environmental or consultation requirements is likely to backfire by increasing local opposition and litigation.

The report argues that while Canada has a competitive advantage due to its clean electricity grids, the mining sector's emissions are rising as mines deepen and ore grades decline. It identifies three primary barriers to decarbonization: a lack of market demand for 'green' minerals, fragmented traceability infrastructure, and technological gaps in open-pit mining. The author proposes a policy toolkit including emission-intensity criteria for funding, support for R&D in emerging technologies like direct lithium extraction, and the maintenance of carbon pricing systems to incentivize the transition.

The report argues that Canada has significant potential to become a leading supplier of critical minerals—specifically cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements—to support the global clean energy transition. However, it identifies a substantial investment gap, estimating that $30 billion in additional capital is needed by 2040 to meet domestic demand, which is projected to reach $16 billion annually. The document highlights three primary risks hindering investment: high price volatility in immature markets, environmental hazards such as tailings dam failures and abandoned mines, and the lack of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities. To address these, the report recommends that the federal government implement financial risk-sharing mechanisms like contracts for difference and equity investments, while provincial governments should tighten mining regulations to align with international standards and provide loan guarantees and capacity-building resources to Indigenous communities to foster genuine partnerships and self-determination.

The Hudson Bay Lowlands in northeastern Manitoba, covering over 67,000 square kilometres, provide a minimum of CAD 247.7 million in annual economic value and store an estimated 7 billion tonnes of soil organic carbon valued at CAD 1.2 trillion. The region supports over 250 wildlife species and generates CAD 131 million in tourism revenue. Five Indigenous Nations are working to establish an Indigenous Protected Area to safeguard the region, which would help Canada and Manitoba meet their goal of protecting 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas by 2030.

The report examines the international demand for eco-certified seafood, noting a growing preference for sustainable products among youth in the US and a strong market in Northwestern Europe. It highlights that while consumers may pay a premium, this rarely reaches producers. To support Manitoba fishers, the report recommends improving information distribution through community liaisons and accessible formats like infographics, while urging federal and provincial officials to engage in more direct listening sessions with fishing communities.

The report advocates for the use of spatial targeting to maximize the water quality and climate adaptation benefits of water retention projects, such as wetlands and naturalized dams, in the Canadian Prairies. It highlights the PTMApp model and the necessity of high-resolution LiDAR-based digital elevation models (DEMs) to accurately map phosphorus loading and identify non-contributing areas. Using the Swan Lake study area as a demonstration, the document argues that strategic site selection improves cost-effectiveness and phosphorus interception, particularly during high-magnitude spring runoff events.

The report details a spatial targeting strategy for phosphorus reduction in the Canadian Prairies, using the Swan Lake study area as a pilot. It integrates the PTMApp model with HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS to account for regional hydrological specifics, such as spring runoff and non-contributing areas. Key findings highlight that default PTMApp settings may overestimate BMP efficiency during spring runoff and that high-quality land-use data is critical to avoid significant errors in nutrient load estimates. The report also discusses the practical application of these models for government and First Nations stakeholders, emphasizing the value of local knowledge and the need for compensation programs to encourage BMP adoption on high-value cropland.

Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from surging global electricity demand and corporate net-zero commitments because approximately 85 per cent of its electricity is already non-emitting. This clean energy advantage has already attracted significant investments in electric vehicle manufacturing in Ontario and data centers in Quebec. To maintain this competitive edge and ensure energy affordability, the document asserts that Canadian provincial and territorial governments must prioritize strategic grid expansion and modernization.

The 2024 Independent Assessment finds that Canadian carbon pricing systems are effective, delivering between a third and a half of all projected emissions reductions by 2030. While systems have harmonized in coverage and stringency since 2020, some large-emitter trading systems (LETS) in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan are at risk of losing effectiveness due to credit oversupply and adverse policy interactions. The report also notes that while LETS generally mitigate competitiveness risks for large emitters, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face varied exposure, with some sectors like water and truck transportation showing high vulnerability.

The 2024 independent evaluation finds that Canada's carbon pricing systems are effective, contributing between one-third and one-half of all projected emission reductions from climate policies by 2030. While systems are more harmonized than in 2020, the report warns that the rigor of some industrial exchange systems (SEGE) could erode by 2030 due to an oversupply of credits caused by overlapping policies. Coverage is broad, encompassing 77% of national emissions, though gaps remain in heating oil and agricultural fuels. Competitiveness risks for large emitters are generally mitigated through design features and subsidies, while small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) face varying pressures, partially offset by new federal revenue recycling mechanisms.

The briefing outlines five essential characteristics for effective industrial carbon pricing in Canada: healthy credit markets, equity between companies, strategic revenue use, transparency, and policy certainty. It warns that current systems in several provinces are underperforming due to oversupply of credits and unfair performance standards, which could halve their effectiveness in reducing emissions if not addressed.

The report finds that continuing current housing development patterns in Canada could lead to hundreds of thousands of new homes being built in high-hazard flood and wildfire zones by 2030. This trajectory could increase annual flood losses by up to $2 billion and wildfire losses by $1.1 billion. The analysis highlights significant gaps in provincial and territorial land use policies, which often delegate risk management to under-resourced municipalities. It also identifies moral hazards in disaster assistance programs and a critical lack of up-to-date hazard mapping and real estate disclosure. The report recommends that governments implement nationally consistent risk standards, reform disaster aid to deter risky development, and mandate hazard disclosure in real estate transactions to ensure housing affordability is not undermined by climate-driven destruction.