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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 documents how at least 39 oil and gas companies and 12 industry-tied organizations influence Canadian K–12 education through branded materials, government partnerships, and funding of third-party nonprofits. It argues that this 'petro-pedagogy' obscures the industry's role in climate change, promotes individual action over systemic change, and creates a conflict of interest in classrooms. The authors call for immediate policy action at federal, provincial, and local levels to implement comprehensive, science-based climate education free from corporate interference.

The report documents how at least 39 oil and gas companies and 12 industry-tied organizations influence Canadian school curricula through direct sponsorship, government partnerships, and funding of third-party nonprofits. It identifies 'petro-pedagogy' strategies—such as 'bias-balancing,' greenwashing, and a focus on individual rather than systemic action—designed to obscure the industry's role in driving climate change and delay the energy transition. The authors recommend that federal and provincial governments prohibit fossil fuel sponsorship in schools, mandate comprehensive climate justice education, and provide public funding for teacher training and resources to ensure education is free from corporate conflicts of interest.

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.

The report explains that while provinces have broad authority over natural resources, the Canadian federal government can regulate oil and gas development through various 'heads of power' in the Constitution. It details the legal doctrines used by courts to resolve jurisdictional overlaps, such as 'double aspect' and 'incidental effects,' and analyzes twelve specific federal powers—including criminal law, fisheries, and interprovincial works—that allow the federal government to influence the oil and gas life cycle from production to closure.

The report argues that while Canadian federal infrastructure programs generally allow for natural infrastructure, significant design gaps—such as high funding thresholds, lack of capacity-building support, and a focus on new 'tangible capital assets' over existing ecosystem preservation—stymie widespread adoption. It evaluates programs like the ICIP, CCBF, and DMAF against 14 enabling criteria, finding that most fail to prompt or require the consideration of natural solutions. The report recommends a 'natural infrastructure-first' approach, differentiated support for rural and underserved communities, and the integration of natural infrastructure into housing and biodiversity policies to address interconnected crises.

The briefing identifies five priority areas for Canada to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies: reforming major tax credits, addressing losses from the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, ending support for carbon capture and storage, stopping LNG infrastructure subsidies, and ensuring low-carbon funds do not benefit fossil fuel companies. It highlights a lack of transparency, noting Canada failed to publish a promised inventory of subsidies by December 2024. The document also details provincial-level subsidies, including fuel tax cuts and infrastructure support, and calls for a comprehensive inventory of all financial supports to the sector.

The document describes Canada's dual-track carbon pricing approach, distinguishing between consumer carbon taxes and industrial systems for large emitters. It details two primary industrial models—emissions-intensity based systems and cap-and-trade systems—and compares their application across different Canadian jurisdictions, highlighting the specific frameworks used in Alberta, Quebec, and the federal backstop system.

Canada employs a dual carbon pricing approach consisting of a consumer carbon price and an industrial carbon price for large emitters. To prevent carbon leakage and protect trade-exposed industries, Canada utilizes large-emitter trading systems (LETS), which primarily take the form of intensity-based systems or cap-and-trade. There are nine LETS across the country, including the federal output-based pricing system (OBPS) and Alberta's Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Regulation, the latter being the largest due to Alberta's share of industrial emissions. Quebec operates the only cap-and-trade system in Canada, which is integrated with the Western Climate Initiative. The Northwest Territories uses a unique fuel levy with rebates rather than a trading system.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are viewed as a potential source of reliable, emissions-free electricity in Canada, capable of replacing fossil-fuel baseload plants and diesel generators in remote areas. While Canada possesses an established nuclear industry and uranium reserves, SMRs are currently classified as 'wild cards' because they are not yet commercially viable and face significant technical, financial, and regulatory hurdles. Current Canadian efforts include a joint strategic plan by Ontario, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, with specific projects such as a reactor at the Darlington site and a micro-reactor at Chalk River. However, global examples, such as cancelled projects in the United States, highlight a trend of mounting costs and lengthening timelines that challenge the technology's competitiveness against wind and solar power.

The document identifies concentrated carbon capture as a "safe bet" for industrial processes with high-concentration CO2 streams, such as cement and ammonia production, while categorizing non-concentrated applications (e.g., natural gas power) as "risky bets." It highlights the technology's potential role in Canada's net-zero pathways, noting that while it could reduce oil and gas emissions by 17 to 50 megatonnes by 2030, its large-scale deployment depends on long-term policy certainty and government financial support, including investment tax credits.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are emerging nuclear energy technologies producing 300 MW or less, offering a potential source of reliable, emission-free electricity for Canada's energy transition. While Canada possesses a strong nuclear industry and uranium reserves, SMRs are currently classified as a 'wild-card' technology due to high costs, regulatory hurdles, and a lack of commercial viability. Despite these challenges, several Canadian provinces and the federal government are investing in SMR development, with projects planned for Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick.

The document distinguishes between 'safe bet' concentrated-stream carbon capture and 'wild card' unconcentrated applications, noting that while the former is commercially viable for certain heavy emitters, the overall sector has a history of underperformance and high costs. In Canada, the technology is projected to contribute between 17 and 50 megatonnes of emissions reductions in the oil and gas sector by 2030, supported by federal investment tax credits of up to 50%. However, the author cautions that deployment depends on policy durability and prudent use of public funds, particularly as demand for oil and gas is expected to decline during the energy transition.

The analysis finds that complying with revised Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) is technically achievable for SaskPower without jeopardizing grid reliability. While the Saskatchewan government previously claimed rates would double by 2035, this modelling indicates that residential electricity rates would only increase by 6–9% relative to a baseline scenario. The CER would significantly reduce cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 2025 and 2050 by accelerating the adoption of carbon capture and storage and increasing imports of clean electricity from Manitoba.

The report concludes that Saskatchewan can comply with a revised version of the federal Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) without compromising grid reliability and with only a marginal increase in residential electricity rates (6% to 9% by 2035) compared to SaskPower's reference scenario. Using the COPPER model, the analysis shows that while the CER would require additional capital investments of $4 billion to $6.5 billion by 2035, it would significantly reduce cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 2025 and 2050 compared to the province's current plans. The report emphasizes the central role of wind power and the importance of federal investment tax credits in maintaining affordability during the transition to net-zero electricity by 2050.

The report analyzes 13 large-scale CCS projects across various industries, including natural gas processing, hydrogen production, power generation, steel, and cement. It finds that while many projects have met high technical standards, others have faced significant operational hurdles, often due to a lack of climate-focused incentives or unexpected geological challenges. The document argues that transparent reporting and robust climate-driven policies are essential to ensure future projects maximize their emissions reduction potential.

The document examines how fossil fuel price volatility contributes to overall inflation in Canada, noting that energy prices accounted for 33% of Canada's overall inflation from February 2021 to June 2022. It argues that transitioning to a net-zero electricity grid by 2050 could save Canadian households an average of CAD 1,500 annually and reduce total energy costs by CAD 15 billion per year. The brief highlights the 'spillover effect' where energy price hikes increase costs for non-energy items, such as food, and can lead to central bank interest rate hikes that further squeeze affordability. It recommends policies that encourage fuel switching to electric vehicles and heat pumps, as well as investments in renewable energy infrastructure to ensure long-term price stability.

The report analyzes MEL systems for climate change adaptation in Canada, France, Kenya, Namibia, Peru, Somalia, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. It finds that while all nine countries have initiated MEL efforts, most focus on monitoring and progress reporting, with evaluation and learning remaining less developed. The study emphasizes that MEL systems are iterative, context-specific processes rather than one-size-fits-all blueprints, and highlights a significant increase in the integration of MEL frameworks into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) over the last decade.

The report identifies a capacity gap in the Canadian Prairies where the demand for natural infrastructure is growing, but the workforce remains primarily trained in 'grey' (human-made) infrastructure. It argues that scaling natural infrastructure requires a multidisciplinary approach involving engineers, planners, biologists, and skilled trades. The document proposes expanding professional development through industry associations, linking training to climate resilience and federal funding, and integrating Indigenous rights-based approaches to ensure sustainable and equitable project delivery.

The document outlines the gTech-IESD modeling framework used to assess Canadian carbon pricing. It details ten policy scenarios ranging from 'No policy' to 'Announced policies with binding LETS systems', alongside sensitivity analyses for oil prices and technology costs. The report specifies macroeconomic inputs from the PBO and CER, and provides a comprehensive inventory of legislated and announced federal and provincial climate policies, including fuel charges, Large Emitter Trading Systems (LETS), and various investment tax credits.