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Lots on the environment in Liberal budget, but is it green enough?

After a decade of decimation under Harper, the environment is back in the federal government’s budget, and this time there’s no axe in sight. 

The Libs’ 2016 budget promises big cash for “a clean growth economy.” Specifically, $3.4 billion for public transit (including new subway cars and buses for the TTC) and another $3.4 billion over five years to “address climate change and air pollution [including a $2 billion Low Carbon Economy Fund], protect ecologically sensitive areas and restore public trust in the environmental assessment processes.” 

For departments left gutted by Harper era cuts, there’ll be $197 million over five years for Fisheries and Oceans Canada to boost ocean and freshwater science and $128.8 million to get Natural Resources Canada delivering energy efficiency programs again, including better  standards and codes for products, buildings, industry and cars. There’s also another $81 million bump up marine conservation efforts. 

There are lots of goodies for the clean tech transition too, a total of $1 billion over four years to be exact, including $62.5 million for charging stations for electric vehicles and hydrogen refueling stations. And $10.7 million going to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to get isolated northern communities off diesel and onto renewable energy.

Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says, “Taken together, all these climate and environment measures amount to an almost wholesale implementation of the Liberals’ election platform.” But is it green enough? 

Not according to a chorus of environmental groups on both sides of the border who say the Libs missed an opportunity to keep its G20 commitment to cut subsidies for fossil fuels. There is instead a $50 million subsidy to help the oil and gas sector reduce its emissions, which the Council of Canadians says “takes that responsibility off of producers and places it on taxpayers.”

The COC adds that the feds investments in water and wastewater infrastructure, including water and sanitation needs, “don’t go far enough fast enough to address the water crisis in First Nations communities.” The Council says it was also hoping for stronger funding commitments for Great Lakes protection and municipal water and wastewater infrastructure.

In a statement, Green party leader Elizabeth May acknowledges the budget’ promises to improve environmental assessments but anti-pipeline activists shouldn’t hold their breath, she says, arguing that the $14.2 million being budgeted over four years actually entrenches the gutting of environmental assessments brought in by the 2012 omnibus budget Bill C-38. 

“Rather than repeal C-38, this budget commits to four years’ worth of funding for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency for ‘fulfilling its responsibilities’ under the C-38 version of the Environmental Assessment Act. Where is the political will to reverse the horrific environmental damage of the last administration?”

Pembina Institute’s Erin Flanagan is more upbeat, particularly about the funds set aside to help the get a pan-Canadian climate framework up and running. 

Flanagan has her beefs. “They’ve remained mum on a critical issue: phasing out emissions from coal-fired electricity plants more quickly,” she says. Nonetheless, she says Pembina is optimistic Budget 2016 “supports the low-carbon economy we’re ultimately working to build.”

ecoholic@nowtoronto.com | @ecoholicnation

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