While politicians in Alberta and Saskatchewan – Canada’s oil-producing heartland – and Conservatives in Ottawa can no longer deny climate change, they continue to stand in the way of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ambitions.
Mr Trudeau’s chief rival, the populist Conservative Pierre Poilievre, spoke for hours in Parliament last week in an attempt to stall the ruling Liberal Party’s budget. While the record-breaking wildfires have driven home the costs of climate inaction, politicians are still seizing upon the fears of Canadians about the short-term costs of action.
Mr Trudeau’s government, under intense industry and political pressure, has refused to entertain a production cap. Instead, it has pledged C$12.4 billion in tax credits for building carbon capture systems, even though most efforts to scale up the technology to date have not been successful. A recent report from Parliament’s spending watchdog found that most households will get back more than they pay in 2030 even though the levy is slated to rise.
“We must address climate change or the costs of climate are going to be enormous and at some point they are going to be undefeatable.”The Canadian Climate Institute, an environmental policy non-profit that receives federal funding but does independent research, released a report last year chronicling the economic impact of climate change.
Current oil-sands production is up about 40 per cent from a decade ago, and though it has fallen from a peak in 2020, it may begin increasing again next year after the completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.Alberta’s oil sands represent about 97 per cent of Canada’s oil reserves, producing about 3.25 million barrels of crude a day. PHOTO: REUTERS
Natural Resources Canada forest fire research specialist Lynn Johnson was even more blunt: “This is climate change action.”