Following its fall Throne Speech, the federal government has released its climate change plan that aims to create jobs and boost support for communities through new investments in areas such as transportation and zero-emission vehicles.
The report, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, builds on the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and appears reminiscent of aspects of the 2020 Throne Speech/ Fall Economic Statement.
“This plan is a cornerstone of the government’s commitment in the 2020 Speech from the Throne to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels,” said the Government of Canada via its website. “The plan includes 64 new measures and $15 billion in investments in addition to the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s $6 billion for clean infrastructure announced this fall as part of its growth plan.”
The plan includes an additional $287 million investment over two years to continue the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program until March 2022, and the investment of an additional $150 million over three years in charging and refueling stations across the country. The last point was included in the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.
Another goal includes working with companies (partners) in the coming year on “supply-side policy options to achieve additional reductions from Canada’s light-duty vehicle fleet” — which includes regulations and investments — to speed up and expand the availability of ZEVs for consumers.
And there is mention of a 100 per cent tax write-off for commercial light-duty, medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs.
Details about the plan can be found here.
