Yesterday’s announcement of the 2021 Federal Budget by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland outlines $100+ billion dollars in new and welcome spending for measures intended to ferry Canada through the remainder of the COVID 19 pandemic, and inject the economy with funding to stimulate and support the national effort to build back better.

Today’s ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada on the Government of Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA) confirms the constitutionality of the federal carbon pricing backstop. This ruling confirms that climate change is a matter of national concern and sets a precedent for the federal government to set nation-wide minimum standards when it comes to climate action.

Canada is finally joining countries representing 50% of global GDP that know strong economic policy hinges on strong environmental policy. With this plan, people and communities across Canada can see themselves joining the huge clean economy that is taking over global markets.

This afternoon, Canada’s Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, delivered Supporting Canadians and Fighting COVID-19, a long-anticipated fiscal update to a nation that has been humbled by and is hurting from this exceptionally difficult COVID-19 pandemic year. There are many encouraging signals in today’s announcement – and a few areas we will watch with close scrutiny.