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The paper examines how strategic assessments can be used to streamline the approval of clean growth projects in Canada, particularly in light of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on the Impact Assessment Act. It suggests that by shifting the regulatory burden from individual project assessments to broader strategic analyses of policies and systemic issues, Canada can accelerate its energy transition. The author recommends implementing clear triggers, a tiered approach to assessment, and robust outcome tracking, drawing on international examples from the EU and US.

The paper examines how strategic assessments—which analyze policies and systemic issues rather than individual projects—can accelerate Canada's net zero transition. It highlights that while the 2019 Impact Assessment Act provides a framework, the tool remains underused and lacks formalization. By adopting global best practices such as tiering, formal triggers, and outcome monitoring, Canada could more efficiently manage cumulative impacts and share regulatory burdens between strategic and project-level assessments.

Canada needs to add over 10 gigawatts of new zero-emission electricity annually until 2050 to reach net zero. The author argues that current inclusive permitting processes are too slow and complex. They propose a two-track system: one for major or unproven projects and a second, expedited track for proven technologies like wind, solar, and lithium-ion batteries. This fast-track process would rely on binding, objective 'yes/no' criteria focusing on local government support, avoidance of key ecological features, and the mitigation of uncompensated off-site impacts. The paper concludes that all five orders of government (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous) have the legal authority to implement these reforms, and recommends that municipal and Indigenous governments lead the project decisions for fast-track approvals.

The analysis finds that while exempting heating oil has a negligible effect on emissions, adding a natural gas exemption would increase 2030 emissions by 4.5 megatonnes. Furthermore, such exemptions would reduce the carbon rebate payments available to most households, negatively impacting affordability, particularly for lower-income groups.

The report assesses the economic impact of natural infrastructure in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, estimating that the sector supported over 58,500 jobs and contributed CAD 7 billion to GDP in 2022. It projects that additional annual investments of CAD 40 million to CAD 100 million could increase direct employment by 18% to 26% and direct GDP by 10% to 16% by 2030, enhancing climate resilience against floods and droughts.

The report examines parental leave policies in the mining sector across 12 countries, comparing national laws with corporate policies. While many mining companies provide benefits that meet or exceed legal requirements, the report identifies a 'leaky pipeline' where women leave the industry between ages 35 and 44. This suggests that formal policies are undermined by workplace cultures that create anxiety around pregnancy disclosure and a lack of support for the transition back to work. The document advocates for normalizing paternity leave for men and improving awareness of reproductive rights to foster a more inclusive environment.

The Canadian Climate Institute and Clean Energy Canada propose adjustments to the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) to ensure they are achievable and cost-effective. Key recommendations include raising the performance standard to 60 tonnes of CO2 per GWh, increasing the capacity factor for peaker plants to 15%, and introducing interim standards for facilities commissioned after 2025. To complement the CER, the authors argue for reforming the Output-based Pricing System (OBPS) to apply full carbon pricing to the electricity sector, federally procuring negative emissions via DAC-CCS and BECCS to offset residual emissions, and increasing support for demand-side management and distributed energy resources.

The report identifies the oil and gas sector as the primary obstacle to Canada's 2030 climate targets due to rising emissions. It proposes four complementary policies: strict methane regulations, targeted public support for carbon capture and storage (CCS), an emissions cap for the sector, and a government-backed transition investment taxonomy. The author emphasizes that explicitly addressing regional equity is essential for the political durability and success of these climate policies.

The document outlines how community benefits programs—ranging from voluntary to mandatory agreements—can provide grants, workforce opportunities, and financial compensation to ensure a just clean energy transition and reduce community opposition to infrastructure projects.

The report finds that heat pumps are the lowest-cost heating and cooling option for most Canadian households over the system's lifetime, though adoption is hindered by high upfront costs, information gaps, and structural barriers for renters. It recommends streamlining rebates, establishing one-stop shop services, and updating building codes to include cooling requirements.

The report finds that heat pumps are the most economical heating and cooling option for the majority of Canadian households over their system life cycle, particularly in cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Halifax. Despite this economic advantage, adoption remains low due to behavioral, economic, and structural barriers, including high initial costs, lack of consumer confidence, and complex government rebate programs. The document argues that heat pumps are critical for both decarbonizing residential buildings and increasing resilience against extreme heat, which has caused significant mortality in regions like British Columbia. It recommends that governments maintain financial supports, simplify application processes through 'one-stop shops', implement indoor maximum temperature limits in building codes, and mandate high-efficiency, non-polluting systems in new constructions where electrically-powered heating is most cost-effective.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), Women’s Healthy Environments Network (WHEN), and Breast Cancer Action Quebec (BCAQ) advocate for mandatory, transparent pollution prevention plans for large grocery chains to reduce single-use plastic food packaging. They argue that reuse systems are the most effective waste reduction method and demand that any new packaging be free of toxic chemicals like PFAS and phthalates. The organizations emphasize that plastic production is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions and that plastic-related health harms disproportionately affect marginalized communities, including Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Canada's current electricity grid is 84 per cent non-emitting, providing a competitive advantage for low-carbon industrial production. To maintain this lead and meet the G7 goal of a net zero grid by 2035, the federal government has introduced the Clean Electricity Regulations and investment tax credits covering 15 to 30 per cent of project costs. While some provinces like Alberta have resisted these measures, the document notes that wind and solar are already cheaper than natural gas in Alberta and Ontario. The transition is expected to reduce household energy costs through technologies like heat pumps and electric vehicles while insulating the economy from fossil fuel price volatility.

The research finds that human-induced climate change significantly increased the intensity and probability of extreme fire weather in eastern Canada in 2023, particularly in Québec, where the cumulative severity of the fire season was approximately 50% more intense and at least seven times more likely to occur.

The document argues that clean electricity is essential for Canada to reach its climate targets, noting that switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity alone could contribute 37 per cent toward the 2050 net zero goal. It highlights that Canadians are projected to spend 12 per cent less on energy by 2050 due to the efficiency of electric vehicles and heat pumps. The text asserts that a net zero electricity grid by 2035 is achievable and necessary for economic competitiveness, particularly relative to the United States. Furthermore, it notes that the federal government has allocated over $30 billion to support provinces and territories in upgrading grids, with solar and wind already being competitive or cheaper than natural gas in Alberta and Ontario.

The Canadian Climate Institute asserts that a clean electricity grid is essential for Canada to reach its climate goals, noting that transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electricity alone would achieve 37% of the 2050 net-zero target. The document highlights that Canada's grid is already 84% clean and that wind and solar are becoming the cheapest options in provinces like Ontario and Alberta. It emphasizes that federal investment, including over $30 billion for provinces and territories, is critical to maintaining competitiveness against the United States, which also aims for net-zero electricity by 2035.

The Canadian Climate Institute estimates that wildfires in Quebec caused $1.28 billion in healthcare costs in Ontario alone from June 4 to 8, 2023, due to a significant spike in PM2.5 fine particulate matter exposure.

The authors highlight the systemic health and environmental risks of plastic, from fossil fuel extraction to waste, specifically noting the dangers of PVC and DEHP in healthcare and the disproportionate impact of plastic manufacturing on marginalized communities and workers. They call for an ambitious global treaty to reduce production and for the Canadian government to phase out hazardous chemicals and single-use plastics.

The June 2021 heatwave in British Columbia was the deadliest disaster in the province's history, resulting in 619 heat-related deaths. The report estimates the economic value of these lost lives at 5.5 billion CAD using the value of a statistical life. Key vulnerabilities identified include a lack of mechanical cooling in residential and public buildings, inadequate urban canopy, and institutional failures in emergency coordination and early warning systems. Economic impacts extended to agriculture, where producers lost at least 25 million CAD in revenue, and the labor market, with significant productivity losses. Future projections suggest that without adaptation, heat-related hospitalizations could reach 6,000 per year by 2030, and annual heat-related deaths could average 1,370 by 2030. The report recommends prioritizing mechanical cooling, urban greening, updating building codes, and improving the precision and lead time of weather warnings to three days.

The report argues that federal investments in clean electricity will lower overall energy expenses for Canadians by 2050, despite modest increases in electricity rates, provided that provinces implement targeted affordability measures for low-income households.