Statement on Canada’s plans to price pollution from Climate Action Network Canada’s Executive Director Catherine Abreu

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe Territories [OTTAWA] (October 23, 2018) – “The Government of Canada refused to bow to industry pressure and provincial politicking today by following through with its commitment to introduce nationwide carbon pricing. The latest UN climate report makes it clear that climate change is a health emergency and carbon pricing is a critical way of addressing that emergency. The Federal government has done what is necessary to get this important tool in play while easing any financial burden it may have on Canadians.

Political leaders in provinces and in Ottawa who continue to pretend pollution is free and score cheap points with the denial of climate action are doing a criminal disservice to Canadians. Pollution has a price. We Canadians pay that price every day in the form of health care costs exacerbated by poor air quality, insurance costs that soar after floods and forest fires, and the loss of natural ecosystems and non-human species that keep our world in balance and enrich our lives. It is only fair that big polluters finally join us in paying the price of pollution.

Nationwide carbon pricing will reduce Canadian climate pollution 50-60 megatons by 2022 – the equivalent of taking 12 million cars off the road or closing 14 coal plants. These are big numbers, but we know the world has 12 years to cut emissions in half and carbon pricing is just one of a series of actions necessary to confront the climate crisis. Canada’s climate goals still fall far short of our fair share of the global effort. Heading into the annual UN climate conference (COP24) taking place December 2018 in Poland, the Government of Canada must tell the world how it will bring its climate goals in line with science.

The success of Canada’s carbon price depends on federal, provincial, and territorial governments implementing robust complementary regulations that result in aggressive emissions reductions in the next decade. That means stopping the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.”

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CONTACT: Catherine Abreu, Executive Director, CAN-Rac Canada | +1 902 412 8953 catherineabreu@climateactionnetwork.ca

Canada’s primary network of organizations working on climate change and energy issues, CAN-Rac is a coalition of more than 100 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Our membership brings environmental groups together with trade unions, First Nations, social justice, development, health and youth organizations, faith groups and local, grassroots initiatives.

Photo:  (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)