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GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ANNOUNCES $1 BILLION
TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN FOR CANADA
August 12, 2003
Ottawa, Ontario
The Government of Canada today announced the details of the investment of $1
billion towards the implementation of the Climate Change Plan for Canada.
This investment is part of the Budget 2003 allocation and builds on $1.7 billion
the Government of Canada has invested in climate change over the past five
years.
"Canada's approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to think
long-term and act short term," said Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
"This investment is an important step toward helping all Canadians reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in the short-term, but will also open doors to
tremendous economic opportunities over the long-term through research and
technological innovations."
The investments are intended to act as a catalyst for, and a complement to,
actions by individual Canadians; industry and business; and governments and
communities.
- Individual Canadians - Incentives to encourage Canadians to make
their homes more energy efficient and investments in programs that will help
Canadians make environmentally-friendly transportation choices and
purchasing decisions ($131.4 million).
- Industry and business - Help for business and industry to reduce
emissions using available technologies in areas such as the buildings and
transportation sector, and to work with the financial sector to invest in
fast-growing tree plantations ($302.9 million), as well as investments
towards the development of new technologies that will help to reduce
emissions over the longer-term and seize new economic opportunities ($250
million). (This is in addition to $250 million announced in Budget 2003
toward Sustainable Development Technology Canada and $50 million towards the
Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences).
- Governments and communities - Funding for partnerships with
provinces and territories on cost-effective emission reduction initiatives,
as well as assisting Aboriginal and northern communities respond to climate
change and demonstrating leadership by aggressively reducing Government of
Canada emissions ($320.7 million.)
"Past investments and those that we are announcing today will bring
about real and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions which will
help to improve quality of life for all Canadians," said Environment
Minister David Anderson. "We are anxious to move ahead quickly with our
partners on practical and cost-effective measures by taking full advantage of
the opportunities presented for collaboration."
"Canadian businesses and industries will be able to seize the
opportunities of emissions reduction, developing and bringing to commercial
markets new products and methods, such as hydrogen technology, that will be
needed as the world searches for answers to climate change," said Industry
Minister Allan Rock.
"Today's announcement brings us closer to what the Climate Change Plan
for Canada asks of Canadians to become the most sophisticated and efficient
producers and consumers of energy in the world, and leaders in the development
of new, cleaner technologies," said Natural Resources Minister Herb
Dhaliwal.
Released on November 21, 2002, the Climate Change Plan for Canada is
based on extensive consultations with provincial and territorial governments,
industry, environmental organizations and individual Canadians. It sets out the
strategy by which all Canadians and all sectors can work together to meet our
Kyoto commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to an average of six per
cent below 1990 levels during the period 2008-2012.
Canada ratified the Kyoto Protocol on December 17, 2002. As of July 10, 2003,
111 countries have ratified or accessed the Kyoto Protocol.
The Government of Canada has committed more than $3.7 billion to climate
change programs and to the development of leading edge technologies over the
past five years, including $2 billion in Budget 2003 alone. Budget 2003 also
allocated an additional $3 billion to the Government of Canada's ongoing
investment in the nation's infrastructure. This program will place an enhanced
focus on projects that relate to helping meet Canada's climate change goals.
Today's announcement took place at the University of Ottawa's School of
Information Technology and Engineering, which uses the most modern techniques
and materials to minimize the cost of heating and cooling while maximizing the
amount of natural light available. The atrium on the building's south side has
been hailed as one of the largest inhabited solar panels in the world.
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Backgrounders and additional information on the Climate Change Plan for
Canada are available at: www.climatechange.gc.ca
For more information, please contact:
PMO Press Office
(613) 957-5555
Kelly Morgan
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441
Selena Beattie
Office of the Minister of Industry
(613) 995-9001
Alex Muir
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources Canada
(613) 996-2007
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