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Recovery Through Reform: Assessing the climate compatibility of Canada’s COVID-19 response in 2020
The document analyzes Canada's 2020 COVID-19 recovery spending, noting a higher commitment to clean energy (CAD 14.7 billion) than fossil energy (CAD 3.6 billion) according to Energy Policy Tracker data. However, it highlights significant transparency gaps regarding credit support from public finance institutions like EDC and BDC. Compared to France, Germany, and the UK, Canada's per capita investment in electric vehicles is lower, while its investment in building retrofits is relatively high. The brief warns that Canada's hydrogen strategy leans toward 'blue hydrogen' (fossil-based) while European peers prioritize 'green hydrogen'. It recommends applying strict 'green strings' to stimulus, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, and aligning ambition with international standards.
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Document type: Policy brief
Federal Fossil Fuel Subsidies in Canada: COVID-19 edition
The Canadian government provided at least CAD 1.91 billion in federal fossil fuel subsidies in 2020, representing a jump of over 200% from 2019 levels. This increase was primarily driven by COVID-19 recovery measures, specifically funding for orphan and abandoned well reclamation and support for Newfoundland's offshore oil industry. The report argues that these subsidies are inconsistent with Canada's net-zero emissions by 2050 target and G20 commitments to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. It highlights significant data gaps regarding tax-related subsidies and public finance provided through Export Development Canada (EDC). The author recommends a transparent roadmap for subsidy phase-out by 2025, the alignment of EDC policies with climate goals, and the inclusion of subsidy reform in Canada's next Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement.
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Document type: Report
International Best Practices: Estimating tax subsidies for fossil fuels in Canada
The report highlights a significant lack of transparency in Canada's reporting of fossil fuel subsidies, particularly regarding foregone revenue. It advocates for the use of the WTO definition of subsidies and the 'revenue foregone' method to accurately quantify tax expenditures and royalty subsidies, which the authors argue are essential for informed policy-making and meeting international climate goals.
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Document type: Report
Clean Growth in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has achieved significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions between 2005 and 2018 while maintaining economic growth, driven by fuel switching in electricity, energy efficiency, and a growing clean tech sector. However, the province faces structural unemployment in rural and Indigenous communities, high energy costs for households, and difficulties in decarbonizing the transportation sector to meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
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Document type: Case study
Clean Growth in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining economic growth, primarily through electricity sector decarbonization and energy efficiency. However, the province faces challenges including high rural unemployment, a continued reliance on fossil fuels for heating and transport, and air quality issues in rural areas.
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Document type: Case study
11 FAÇONS DE MESURER LA CROISSANCE PROPRE
The Canadian Climate Institute presents a framework of 11 indicators divided into goals (low-carbon growth, economic resilience), catalysts (technology development, adoption, trade, and infrastructure), and fundamentals (low-carbon jobs, affordable energy, inclusive resilience, clean air, and flourishing ecosystems). The report finds that while Canada has decoupled GDP from emissions nationally, progress is uneven across provinces. It highlights significant data gaps, particularly regarding climate costs, social vulnerability, and ecosystem health, and recommends cross-governmental collaboration and improved data correlation to support a just transition.
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Document type: Report
11 WAYS TO MEASURE CLEAN GROWTH
The Canadian Climate Institute identifies 11 indicators to track clean growth, categorized into goals (low-carbon growth and economic resilience), catalysts (technology development, adoption, trade, and infrastructure), and foundations (jobs, affordable energy, inclusive resilience, clean air, and ecosystems). The analysis reveals that while Canada has decoupled GDP from GHGs, progress is uneven across provinces, and significant data gaps hinder comprehensive policy tracking.
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Document type: Report
6 Investissements dans les infrastructures résilientes et sobres en carbone
The report analyzes Canadian infrastructure investment flows and stocks from 2009 to 2019, noting significant growth in hydroelectric power and pollution abatement but a sharp decline in wind and solar investments. It highlights a total infrastructure value of 250 billion dollars in 2019, dominated by electricity assets. The author argues that current data is incomplete, lacking coverage of energy efficiency, natural infrastructure, and building renovations, and proposes a new classification system to better align investments with long-term climate goals and avoid 'path dependency' where current projects fail to meet future resilience needs.
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Document type: Report
Mesurer le chemin parcouru vers la croissance propre
The Canadian Climate Institute introduces a framework of 11 indicators to track 'clean growth' in Canada, balancing economic prosperity with climate action. The report identifies that while most provinces have decoupled GDP growth from GHG emissions since 2005, significant gaps remain in technology adoption, data collection for climate costs, and the protection of vulnerable populations and ecosystems. It argues for a 'skeptical optimism' approach, where governments actively resolve barriers to transition rather than assuming growth will naturally follow emission declines.
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Document type: Executive summary
1 Low Carbon Growth
The report analyzes the gap between Canada's GDP and GHG emissions, noting that while national decoupling has occurred, significant regional disparities exist. It highlights that Canada's economy remains more carbon-intensive than other developed nations and suggests three primary pathways for achieving low-carbon growth: reducing emissions intensity, reallocating resources, and accelerating the growth of low-carbon firms.
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Document type: Report
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DEMONSTRATING SECURE GEOLOGICAL STORAGE
The document outlines guiding principles for the IRS to establish substantive criteria and implementation processes for verifying the secure geological storage of CO2 used in EOR. It recommends a flexible framework allowing for two primary pathways: EPA's Subpart RR and the ISO 27916 Standard. Because ISO 27916 lacks a built-in implementation mechanism, the authors propose a transparent third-party validation and verification process conducted by qualified professionals, potentially accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
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Document type: Statement
Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals
The report details Canada's greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2016, highlighting that while overall emissions grew nearly 17%, the oil and gas and transportation sectors were the primary drivers. It examines the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and provides a detailed breakdown of emissions by province and territory, noting significant per capita disparities between jurisdictions like Alberta and Quebec.
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Document type: Report
Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals
The Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals, published by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), is a comprehensive guide designed to empower healthcare workers to act as educators and advocates. It details the science of anthropogenic climate change, the disproportionate health risks faced by vulnerable populations, and the specific regional vulnerabilities across Canada. The document emphasizes 'health co-benefits'—the immediate health improvements resulting from climate mitigation, such as reduced air pollution from phasing out coal and improved cardiovascular health through active transportation. It provides a framework for health care facilities to assess their own climate resiliency and reduce their carbon footprints, while offering strategies for health professionals to engage patients, peers, and policymakers in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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Document type: Guide
Boîte à outils sur les changements climatiques pour les professionnels de la santé
The document is a comprehensive guide for healthcare professionals to address climate change. It covers the science of climate change, its global and Canadian health impacts, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission trends in Canada, and practical solutions. It emphasizes 'co-benefits'—where climate actions like promoting plant-based diets or active transport immediately improve public health. The guide provides specific strategies for making healthcare facilities more resilient and sustainable, such as reducing the carbon footprint of anesthesia and supply chains, and offers a framework for community-level adaptation and professional advocacy.
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Document type: Guide
Submission to the City of Edmonton IPM Review
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) submitted a brief to the City of Edmonton arguing that the current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) policy fails to adequately address human health risks. CAPE highlights that children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure, which is linked to developmental deficits and childhood cancers, while adults face risks of Parkinson's disease and various cancers. The document criticizes Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for relying on industry-supplied data and failing to conduct timely re-evaluations of registered pesticides. CAPE recommends that Edmonton formalize a policy to eliminate routine toxic pesticide use in city-managed parks and for mosquito control, and implement a bylaw restricting non-essential pesticide use on residential and private lawns.
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Document type: Statement
Submission to the City of Calgary IPM Review Avoiding Pesticide Health Risks in Calgary
CAPE submits that Calgary's current Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan is insufficient to protect residents from the health risks of toxic pesticides. The organization highlights specific vulnerabilities of children and adults, criticizes the federal PMRA regulatory process, and recommends a corporate ban on routine toxic pesticide use alongside a municipal bylaw for private properties.
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Document type: Briefing
Re: City Pesticide Use Audit (17428)
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) supports the City of Edmonton's plan to update its Integrated Pest Management policy to improve clarity on pesticide use and justification. CAPE urges the city to consult health-related groups and incorporate health evidence into its decisions, citing epidemiological studies that link pesticide exposure to adverse reproductive, neurological, and developmental outcomes, especially in children and pregnant women. The organization also highlights flaws in the federal pesticide approval process managed by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency, arguing for a precautionary approach to protect public health.
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Document type: Statement
CANADA: DIRECT EMPLOYMENT IMPACT-BENEFIT AGREEMENTS (IBAS); INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT AT VOISEY’S BAY MINE
The document describes Canada's use of Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) to protect Indigenous rights and promote employment in the mining sector. It highlights the Voisey’s Bay nickel mine in Newfoundland and Labrador, where the Joint Education and Training Authority (JETA)—funded by a CAD 25 million federal initiative—trained over 1,000 Innu and Inuit people. By November 2016, Innu and Inuit peoples constituted approximately 55 per cent of the mine's workforce, with 90 per cent of those employees coming from adjacent communities.
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Document type: Case study
CANADA: NATIONAL CAPACITY SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH JOINT VENTURES
The document analyzes how joint ventures (JVs) between mining companies and Indigenous groups in Canada facilitate community capacity development and economic self-reliance. It highlights the role of Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) and Aboriginal Economic Development Corporations (AEDCs) in integrating Indigenous communities into the mining supply chain and operations, while noting challenges such as limited organizational capacity and financing difficulties.
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Document type: Case study
Cities and Smart Grids in Canada
The report examines the intersection of urban growth, aging electricity infrastructure, and climate change in Canada, arguing that the deployment of smart grid technologies is essential for decarbonization and grid resiliency. It identifies a significant financing gap for modernization, estimating a need for CAD 350 billion in investment over 20 years. The document outlines four emerging business models—Energy Service Provider, Customer Energy Marketplace, Local Balancing Authority, and Smart City—and notes that their adoption varies by region. It highlights barriers to smart grid deployment, including technical complexity, cyber security risks, and regulatory frameworks that treat smart investments as traditional capital infrastructure. The report concludes by calling for a National Vision on Grid Modernization to coordinate stakeholders and align the energy transition with mid-century climate goals.
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Document type: Report