Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission Says Road Back from Paris the Most Important Test for Canadian Climate Policy

MEDIA AVAILABILITY AND STATEMENT

November 23, Ottawa—Today, Monday November 23, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with First Ministers to discuss Canada’s climate change strategy one week before the Paris Climate Summit. This meeting comes one day after the unveiling of Alberta’s climate strategy, which includes an economy-wide carbon price of $30/tonne by 2018.

WHAT: Interviews and analysis from Ecofiscal Commissioners

WHEN: Today, Monday, November 23

WHO: 

  • Chris Ragan, Ecofiscal Chair and former special advisor, Bank of Canada
  • Elizabeth Beale, Former President and CEO, Atlantic Provinces Economic Council
  • Paul Boothe, Richard Ivey School of Business, former DM, Environment
  • Mel Cappe, University of Toronto School of Public Policy, former Clerk of the Privy Council
  • Glen Hodgson, Chief Economist, Conference Board of Canada
  • Paul Lanoie, HEC Montreal
  • Nancy Olewiler, Simon Frasier University, School of Public Policy

WHERE:

  • Halifax
  • Montreal
  • London (ON)
  • Toronto
  • Ottawa
  • Vancouver

Statement from Chris Ragan, Chair of the Ecofiscal Commission

“Alberta’s historic climate announcement demonstrates increased provincial commitment to market mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is a step in the right direction toward stronger policy. However, important questions remain around how revenue will be used, how issues of fairness and business competitiveness will be addressed, and how policy will ramp up to achieve deeper emissions reductions post 2018. ”

“The hard work for Alberta, Ontario and other provinces truly begins on the road back from Paris. No matter what commitments are made at the COP, we should expect an uneven climate policy landscape globally and across Canada for some time. That means carefully addressing the issue of competitiveness for Canadian industries, and working through the details that matter to get these policies right at home.”

RESEARCH LINKS

About CANADA’S ECOFISCAL COMMISSION (ecofiscal.ca) – Established in November 2014, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission is a unique effort to advance fiscal policy reform for the benefit of Canada’s economy and environment. The commission comprises a dozen prominent economists from across Canada’s regions and 18 advisors including former political leaders and leaders from the business sector.

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Media contact:

Jessie Sitnick: 416.859.8250
jsitnick@ecofiscal.ca

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