The Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change: First Year Progress Snapshot

The Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change is our plan – developed with the provinces and territories and in consultation with Indigenous peoples – to meet our emissions reduction targets, grow the economy, and build resilience to a changing climate. Our plan includes a pan-Canadian approach to pricing carbon pollution, and measures to achieve reductions across all sectors of the economy. It aims to drive innovation and growth by increasing technology development and adoption to ensure Canadian businesses are competitive in the global low-carbon economy. It also includes actions to advance climate change adaptation and build resilience to climate impacts across the country.

The following are some highlights of progress from our first year.

Most provinces and territories that don’t already have carbon pricing in place took important steps this year toward developing pricing systems. This year, the federal government also released a technical discussion paper to advance the development of its carbon pricing option.

The federal government, provinces, and utilities worked together in 2017 to identify the most promising electricity infrastructure projects through the Regional Electricity Cooperation and Strategic Infrastructure Initiative (RECSI). This work helps support the move away from coal and toward renewable and non-emitting electricity.

This year, the federal government launched the $2 billion Low Carbon Economy Fund, which includes the Leadership Fund and the Challenge Fund. The Leadership Fund will support provincial and territorial projects to reduce carbon pollution and spur clean growth, such as reducing emissions from buildings and industry, and increasing stored carbon in forests and agricultural soils. The Challenge Fund will support innovative initiatives proposed by a wider range of stakeholders.

The federal government’s First Nation Adapt program was expanded in 2017 to include a focus on floodplain mapping on-reserve. The program works with First Nation communities to assess climate change impacts and identify opportunities for climate change projects so that communities can increase the resilience of their infrastructure and emergency management.

Budget 2017 announced $73.5 million over five years to support climate adaptation decision-making, including for a new Canadian Centre for Climate Services. This organization will deliver trusted climate information, data, and tools through an online climate information portal to support adaptation decision-making in Canada.

The federal government announced the $2 billion Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, Canada’s largest dedicated source of funding for large-scale infrastructure projects designed to build climate resilience and protect communities from natural disasters and extreme weather.

In 2017, federal, provincial, and territorial governments took steps to help clean tech producers access capital so they can bring their products and services to market. The Government of Canada announced $1.4 billion in new financing for clean tech firms, as well as an additional $400 million for Sustainable Development Technology Canada. Several provinces and territories are also providing new clean tech funding, including Ontario’s $55 million Cleantech Equity Fund, and a $40 million partnership between B.C.’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund and Sustainable Development Technology Canada.