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The document asserts that Canada lacks the necessary infrastructure to provide immediate LNG supplies to the EU following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It highlights that while the EU seeks short-term alternatives, it is simultaneously accelerating its 'Fit for 55' and 'REPower' plans to reduce gas demand and achieve climate neutrality. With new Canadian projects taking at least three years to complete, the author concludes that such investments risk becoming stranded assets as European demand declines.

The report analyzes the status of women in the Canadian large-scale mining sector, finding that they are persistently underrepresented at approximately 16% of the workforce. While women in mining are often highly educated and concentrated in professional or exploration roles, they face systemic barriers including gender pay gaps, limited access to support networks, and higher rates of unresolved discrimination and harassment. The document recommends that governments mandate disaggregated data reporting and integrate psychological safety into occupational health and safety legislation to improve workplace culture and equity.

The document examines the feasibility of using Canadian LNG to replace Russian gas in the EU, concluding that the 3-to-5-year timeline for building new Canadian facilities is incompatible with the EU's immediate needs and its medium-term goal of phasing out gas by 2025-2027.

Canada committed in 2009 to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, a goal it recently accelerated to 2023. However, the lack of a clear, shared definition of 'inefficient' remains a barrier. The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that Canada should adopt the World Trade Organization's definition of subsidies and apply four specific criteria—alignment with climate commitments, support for the low carbon economy, just transition consistency, and the effectiveness of the policy goal—to identify which subsidies are inefficient. The brief highlights that federal subsidies totaled at least CAD 1.91 billion in 2020, with additional billions provided at the provincial level.

The report argues that Canada's oil and gas sector must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, specifically fugitive methane, to survive falling global demand. It proposes a short-term focus on decarbonizing production through a sector-specific emissions cap and a long-term pivot toward becoming 'carbon management' companies. These companies would leverage Canada's geological advantages to produce blue and green hydrogen, low-carbon chemical feedstocks, and carbon-negative products using carbon capture and storage (CCS) and direct air capture.

The report argues that the Canadian oil and gas sector, which accounted for nearly 27% of national greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, must transition to remain competitive as global demand for crude oil is projected to decline by approximately 80% by 2050. Short-term priorities include a drastic reduction of methane fugitive emissions—targeting a 75% reduction by 2030—and the implementation of a sector-specific emissions cap that declines to net-zero by 2050. Long-term, the author proposes that the industry pivot toward producing low-carbon fuels and chemical feedstocks using blue and green hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and biomass. The report suggests creating industrial hubs in locations like Fort Saskatchewan and Medicine Hat to coordinate the production and storage of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, effectively transforming oil and gas companies into 'carbon management companies'.

The policy brief argues that Canada lacks a shared definition of 'inefficient fossil fuel subsidies,' which hinders its commitment to phase them out. It proposes a four-part assessment framework—alignment with climate commitments, support for a low-carbon economy, just transition consistency, and overall policy effectiveness—to ensure transparency and accountability in eliminating these subsidies.

The briefing argues that Canada lacks a clear definition of 'inefficient' fossil fuel subsidies, which hinders its commitment to phase them out. It proposes four criteria for evaluation: compliance with climate commitments, support for a low-emission economy, consistency with a just transition, and optimal policy achievement. The authors recommend adopting the WTO definition of subsidies and applying these criteria to both federal and provincial funding to ensure transparency and accountability.

The British Columbia Low Carbon Fuel Standard has reduced annual transport emissions by an average of 6% from 2010 to 2020 and is projected to meet 31% of the province's 2030 reduction goals. The author proposes two main modifications: expanding the scope to include aviation and marine fuels—which are expected to represent 51% of transport emissions by 2050—and allowing compliance credits for direct air capture with permanent storage. To succeed, the document argues the province must address incentive gaps that currently favor renewable diesel over low-carbon jet fuels, account for indirect land-use change in carbon footprint calculations to support advanced biofuels, and expand the geographic eligibility of direct air capture projects beyond provincial borders to accelerate deployment and reduce costs.

British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard reduced transportation emissions by an average of 6% annually from 2010 to 2020 and is projected to drive 31% of the province's 2030 reduction targets. The document proposes expanding the regulation to include jet and marine fuels, as well as direct air capture with permanent storage, to address hard-to-abate sectors and negative emissions. To maximize effectiveness, the author recommends closing the incentive gap that currently favors renewable diesel over low-carbon jet fuel, incorporating indirect land-use change (ILUC) into carbon footprint measurements to support advanced biofuels, and allowing direct air capture credits for projects located outside British Columbia to accelerate technology deployment.

The report analyzes how Canadian provinces are positioned to navigate the net zero transition, focusing on 'demand-creation' sectors. It identifies a performance gap between the four largest provinces—British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta—which are leading in innovation and investment, and smaller provinces that are just beginning to develop these markets. The document provides five strategic recommendations for provincial and federal governments to build investor confidence, connect innovators with buyers, support rural and Indigenous communities, leverage high-potential companies, and increase R&D investment.

The report analyzes how Canadian provinces are positioned to benefit from the global shift toward a net-zero economy, identifying leaders and laggards in the creation of clean-growth enterprises. It highlights that while Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta lead in company creation and investment, other provinces show varying levels of progress. The document outlines ten promising transition markets—including clean electricity, batteries, and hydrogen—and provides five strategic recommendations for provincial and federal governments to enhance competitiveness, attract private investment, and ensure a just transition for vulnerable rural and Indigenous communities.

The report identifies that Canada must increase the share of electricity in commercial and institutional building heating from less than 15% to at least 75% by 2050 to reach net-zero goals. It highlights three primary obstacles: the low cost of natural gas, a lack of internal planning capacity and a 'business-as-usual' bias among technical experts, and significant capital constraints for building owners. To address these, the report proposes five catalysts: short-term electrification plans for businesses, integrating net-zero mandates into utility and regulatory frameworks, aligning utility planning with net-zero trajectories to ensure clean energy supply, establishing building performance standards, and developing innovative public-private financing models. Examples of progress include the bi-energy strategy in Quebec and performance standards in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.

The document analyzes how Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland created a highly integrated electricity market, notably through the Nord Pool exchange, to balance variable renewable energy with hydroelectric storage. It argues that Canada's 'balkanized' grid, characterized by provincial control and political resistance, could benefit from similar bilateral exchanges—specifically linking hydroelectric-rich provinces like Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia with those transitioning from fossil fuels—to lower costs and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The document analyzes the Nordic model of electricity co-operation—characterized by two-way trade, market harmonization via Nord Pool, and regional governance—as a blueprint for Canada. It argues that Canadian provinces could lower decarbonization costs by using hydro-rich provinces as 'batteries' to back up variable renewable energy in other regions, provided they overcome political resistance and regulatory misalignment.

The report finds that British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador provided at least CAD 2.5 billion in fossil fuel subsidies in FY 2020/21 and CAD 1.5 billion in FY 2021/22. It argues that these subsidies incentivize production that might not otherwise occur and hinder Canada's ability to meet its 1.5°C climate target.

The report identifies that four major Canadian fossil fuel-producing provinces provided at least CAD 2.5 billion in subsidies in FY 2020/21 and 1.5 billion in FY 2021/22 (up to December 2021). These subsidies, consisting of royalty reductions, tax exemptions, and direct transfers, are described as incompatible with 1.5°C goals and a hindrance to Canada's Paris Agreement obligations. The authors highlight a lack of transparency in provincial budgeting and a trend of using fossil fuel support as a COVID-19 recovery strategy. The report recommends that provinces increase transparency, align with federal targets to phase out subsidies by 2023, cease creating new subsidies, and collaborate with the federal government.

A survey of over 300 municipalities and Indigenous communities in the Prairie provinces reveals that while over 80% have experienced unusual extreme weather in the last decade, formal preparation is low, with only 5% having completed a formal adaptation plan. Communities report significant barriers to progress, including limited financial resources, staff time, and technical skills.

The report details a series of virtual workshops held in 2021 involving approximately 30 civil society organizations to discuss Canada's net-zero goals. The findings highlight a strong consensus on the need for absolute emission reductions, the phase-out of fossil fuels, and the prioritization of 'safe bets' like clean electricity and energy efficiency over uncertain technologies. Key areas of concern include the role of carbon capture and storage (CCS), the use of carbon offsets, and the necessity of integrating climate justice and Indigenous reconciliation into national strategies. The document concludes with a set of proposed 'guardrails' and policy demands to guide Canada's transition to carbon neutrality.

The report examines the intersection of climate change and agriculture in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. It highlights that while the Prairies are warming faster than most of Canada, leading to increased risks of drought, flooding, and pests, the agricultural sector also contributes significantly to national emissions, particularly through nitrogen fertilizer and livestock. The authors argue that current federal and provincial policies lack concrete sectoral targets and comprehensive strategies, recommending a shift toward agroecology, reinstated public extension services, and targeted financial incentives for beneficial management practices to ensure long-term viability.