Government of Canada and Cement Association of Canada launch Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050

From: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

News release

Roadmap will establish Canada as a front-runner in low-carbon cement and concrete

November 9, 2022 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 

Innovation is essential to achieving Canada’s vision of a resilient, sustainable and strong economy, meeting the country’s climate goals and protecting the planet for future generations. The Government of Canada is committed to green economic growth that enhances the competitiveness of Canadian industry in the net-zero carbon economy, reduces environmental impacts and builds a clean future for all Canadians.

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, along with Marie Glenn, Chair of the Board of the Cement Association of Canada (CAC) and VP Enterprise Strategy at Ash Grove Cement Inc., and Adam Auer, President and CEO of the CAC, released the Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050.

Concrete is the most used building material on the planet, and the cement needed to make that concrete accounts for 7% of global CO2 emissions and about 1.5% of Canada’s. With support and collaboration from the Government of Canada and partners across the construction value chain, Canada’s cement and concrete industry is poised to achieve, through this partnership, the elimination of more than 15 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions cumulatively by 2030, followed by ongoing reductions of over 4 million tonnes annually from the production of cement and concrete in Canada.

As a first step, the roadmap includes the Action Plan to 2030, which is centred on three priority areas: driving Canadian market development; advancing innovation and transition in the industry; and positioning Canada as a world leader in the production, adoption and export of low-carbon cement and concrete products and technologies.

Government and industry collaboration, through major transitional industrial decarbonization projects, research and development, and standards and skills development, will further support the cement and concrete industry’s push toward net zero by 2050. This collaboration will also strengthen Canada’s leadership in clean technologies, paving the way to a clean-growth future.

Canada is also doubling down on this initiative by committing to co-lead the Glasgow Breakthrough on Cement and Concrete, which will allow like-minded countries to share best practices on the range of policies, regulations, programs and other measures for decarbonizing the concrete and cement sector.

Together, these initiatives aim to strengthen domestic efforts and international cooperation in industrial decarbonization. These efforts will make clean solutions affordable and accessible in every sector while positioning Canada’s cement and concrete industry as a leader in the production of low-carbon concrete thanks to clean technologies, innovative tools and forward-looking policy.

Quotes

“With this partnership, Canada will become a world-leading producer and exporter of low-carbon cement and concrete. This will increase the adoption of low-carbon cement and concrete, leading to more jobs, more growth, and a healthier environment for all Canadians. Together, we are working toward a more sustainable world that achieves net zero by 2050 and advances Canada’s commitment to clean growth.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Decarbonizing concrete is a necessity, and Canada’s cement and concrete industry has demonstrated that it is up to the task. This roadmap demonstrates our industry’s leadership in CO2 emissions reduction and positions us to achieve our goal of net-zero cement by 2050. But it’s just a start. We look forward to continuing our work with the Government of Canada to implement the priorities identified in the roadmap and to ensure that the right combination of incentives and regulatory policies continues to be put in place for our industry to thrive and succeed in a competitive net-zero global economy.”
– Marie Glenn, Chair of the Board, Cement Association of Canada

“Canada’s cement and concrete industry is a leader in the fight to stop climate change. While we are steadfast in our commitment to reduce our emissions by 15 million tonnes cumulatively by 2030 and reach true net zero by 2050, we know we can’t do it alone. Together with government, we will continue to support the innovation and investment needed on our path to delivering net-zero concrete, while at the same time preserving its properties as a durable, resilient, versatile and cost-effective material. By working together, Canada’s cement and concrete industry will remain competitive throughout the low-carbon transition, delivering emissions reductions while supporting jobs in communities across the country.”
– Adam Auer, President and CEO, Cement Association of Canada

“As a family-owned Canadian-based construction materials producer, BURNCO is focused on ongoing innovations related to environmental preservation, community engagement and multi-generational sustainability. As a company, we are committed to assuring a safe, healthy and sustainable future for our customers, employees and communities. At BURNCO, we look forward to aggressively pursuing future opportunities that improve the environment and create better communities for future generations. All of us at BURNCO are proud to be an integral contributor to the critical construction materials ecosystem, and we are 100% invested in supporting the achievement of this critical and ambitious goal.”
– Tom Zais, CEO, BURNCO Rock Products Ltd.

Quick facts

  • The Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete was spearheaded by a joint government-industry working group, co-led by the Cement Association of Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. The working group included key players from the federal government, the Canadian cement and concrete industry, and relevant environmental experts.

  • The roadmap aligns with Canada’s Emissions Reductions Plan–an ambitious plan to fight climate change while bringing sustainable, lasting economic prosperity to Canada, which charts a credible path to emissions that are 40% lower than 2005 levels by 2030.

  • Budget 2022 introduced new measures to help increase the commercialization and deployment of low-carbon technologies and resources and to support the continued growth of clean technology businesses across Canada, including $15 billion for the Canada Growth Fund to accelerate the investment of private capital into decarbonization and clean tech projects, help promote the diversification of Canada’s economy, help meet Canada’s climate targets, and strengthen Canada’s economic resilience and capacity.

  • Cement production in Canada was valued at more than $1.2 billion in 2019. 

  • Cement is a significant source of industrial CO2 emissions around the world, representing 26% of global industrial sector CO2 emissions in 2019.

  • The Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda provides a framework for countries and businesses to join up and strengthen their actions every year, in every sector, through a coalition of leading public, private and public-private global initiatives, and highlights the leading global initiatives that will help ensure success.

  • Canada’s commitment to co-lead the new Glasgow Breakthrough on Cement and Concrete will provide a significant opportunity to demonstrate its global leadership in driving the adoption of low-carbon cement products and solutions. It will also bring global visibility to the measures and actions developed with the Cement Association of Canada and presented in the Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050.

Related products

Associated links

Contacts

Laurie Bouchard
Senior Manager, Communications
Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
laurie.bouchard@ised-isde.gc.ca

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
media@ised-isde.gc.ca

Geneviève Breton
Chief of Corporate Communications
Cement Association of Canada
gbreton@cement.ca

Stay connected

Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED.

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

Page details

Date modified: