A Summary of Canadian Climate Action Plans

The Pan-Canadian, Manitoba, Quebec, Yukon, Ontario and Vancouver Climate Change Action Plans

Canada is a massive North American landmass composed of multiple nationalities and environmental systems. Like many nations, Canada has a climate action plan, the “Pan Canadian Framework.” The objective of Canada’s climate action plan is to set climate mitigation and adaptation goals and achieve them in an established timeframe.

Background Info: What Is a Climate Action Plan?

Canada’s climate action plan incorporates both economic goals and climate goals. In this article, we’ll summarize the key points and goals of Canada’s climate change action plan.

This article also reviews several province’s climate change action plans, including Manitoba, Quebec, Yukon, Ontario, and Vancouver. 

To jump to a province, use the Table of Contents below.

Overview of the Pan-Canadian Climate Action Plan

Main Sectors Covered in Canada’s Climate Action Plan

Other Canadian Climate Action Plans

1. Manitoba Climate Change Plan
2. Quebec Climate Change Action Plan
3. Yukon Climate Change Action Plan
4. Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan (2016)
5. Vancouver Climate Change Action Plan

Overview of the Pan-Canadian Climate Action Plan

Written in 2014, Canada’s action plan on climate change is broken up into multiple sections dedicated to emission control and overall reduction of carbon emissions. The Pan-Canadian climate plan explains several “Complementary Actions to Reduce Emissions,” concrete action plans that focus on reducing carbon footprints across seven sectors.

Sectors covered in the plan include:

1. Electricity/Power 
2. Built Environment
3. Transportation
4. Industrial
5. Agriculture, Forestry, and Waste
6. Governmental
7. International

Read the full plan: Pan Canadian Framework

Main Sectors Covered in Canada’s Action Plan on Climate Change

Electricity

Canada’s overall goal for power and electricity is to remain clean and sustainable. Currently, Canada has one of the cleanest, low-polluting energy systems in the world, as they have removed many polluting energy sources like coal from their production. Their current goals for electricity related to climate change are:

• Increase overall power generated from low-carbon sources
• Focusing on connecting more infrastructure and locations within Canada to clean power 
• Modernizing power systems
• Reducing reliance on fuel systems like diesel, especially for remote and Indigenous communities

One of the highlights in this section is the continued phase out of coal and expansion of other power sources, like wind and solar.

Built Environment/Housing

Reducing carbon emissions for housing units is another primary goal of the Canadian climate action plan. Housing, when heated or cooled, contributes to “12 percent of national GHG

Emissions” since 2014, according to the climate plan. 

Efficiency for heating and cooling reduces not only carbon load, but saves residents money too. The goals, then, for this section are:

• Building newly constructed buildings with energy efficiency in mind (better cooling/heating)
• Switching and retrofitting older buildings to cleaner energy sources
• Ensuring building codes support energy efficiency

This is important, because Canada’s climate change action plan estimates that by 2030, a majority of buildings will be holdovers (older buildings). Retrofitting existing older homes for better energy efficiency is important for reaching climate goals.

Transportation

With so much of modern transportation funneled into vehicles, it’s imperative industries around the world – and Canada – look at ways to modernize and seek alternative fuel sources. As of 2014, vehicle emissions accounted for 23% of total carbon emissions across multiple sectors.

To implement a more sustainable transportation sector , Canada’s climate plan includes the following:

• Introducing and updating emission standards for newly produced vehicles and transportation systems
• Increasing zero-emission vehicles
• Investing in low-emission vehicular infrastructure
• Encouraging use of cleaner fuel 

Industry

While industry and manufacturing play a vital role in Canada’s economy, this means it is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. Unsurprisingly, 37 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions originated from oil and fuel production in 2014. 

Because of this, the climate action plan takes aim at three key areas:

• Regulatory standards to reduce methane and HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) emissions
• Improved efficiency in the industrial sector (more production with less energy used)
• New technology investment focusing on low-emissions for production

Ideally, this will bring Canada into a “low-carbon economy.”

Forestry/Agriculture/Waste

This category covers several areas that deal with both environmental conservation and pollution reduction. The regulation and protection of forests, combined with sustainment of farmable lands, helps fight climate change by allowing for carbon sequestration. Waste reduction and pollution are also important in Canada’s plan to reduce biome damage and carbon footprint. The plan hopes to accomplish its goals by following these objectives:

• Working to establish protection of “carbon sinks,” which include forests and other biomes
• Encouraging the use of wood for construction via updated building codes
• Collaborating with local and federal agencies to help identify new opportunities for biofuels and waste reduction

Government

This section sets standards for how the government of Canada aims to reduce their own climate impacts.  These include goals to:

• Increase scaling of cleaning operations and pollution reduction
• Cut and reduce emissions from government buildings

International Relations

A majority of climate plans also include measures that focus on international interests as well. This is necessary, since climate change is a global effort, and even the best national climate action plan cannot prove effective if other nations do not cooperate.

The current model for Canada’s international plan is to invest $2.65 billion in climate finance to assist in international climate change efforts. The plan also includes these provisions:

• Delivering on Canada’s international climate obligations such as finance commitments
• Committing to trade and international policy that are climate-conscious
• Maintaining commitment to the Paris Agreement to reach set goals and standards

Other Canadian Climate Action Plans

Canada is also composed of several provinces which have their own climate action goals too, specifically: Ontario, Yukon, Vancouver, Quebec, and Manitoba.

Here we’ll break down the main climate goals of each climate action plan.

Manitoba Climate Change Plan

Manitoba’s Climate Change and Green Economy Action Plan covers a wide variety of goals, but its primary objectives are to reduce the total load of carbon emissions in the province. The plan was written in 2015, and covers ways to reduce emissions across residential homes and businesses, as well as in other sectors such as transportation, agriculture, and industry.

The plan provides $5 million to the Climate Change Action Fund. This money is intended to be spread across sectors to encourage carbon reductions and boost economic growth. For example, the plan commits to the creation of a carbon cap and trade program in order to incentivize large emitters to reduce emissions. 

The government of Manitoba also committed to reducing their own emissions by reducing waste and investing in green vehicles. The main goal of the plan is for Manitoba to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by one-third (compared to 2005) by 2030, and to become carbon neutral by 2080.

Quebec Climate Change Action Plan

Quebec’s climate plan is funded by the Green Fund and sets several major goals. These goals were established for the years 2013 to 2020. The next plan is the “2030 Plan for a Green Economy.”

Goals for both plans include:

1. Encouraging green growth with business
2. Reducing carbon emissions
3. Transitioning towards an economy that’s prepared for climate change impacts 

The premise of both plans is that by encouraging and stimulating a carbon-friendly economy, a climate-conscious economy will naturally generate from that foundation. Additionally, Quebec’s climate plan seeks out alternative energy sources that either eliminate emissions or reduce them dramatically. Hydropower, for example, is their primary focus for alternative energy.

Other goals are to emphasize use of mass transit (versus cars) and utilize “green” energy for housing and infrastructure. 

In summation, Quebec is targeting climate friendly goals by establishing carbon-reduction as the backbone of its economic standards.

Yukon Climate Change Action Plan

Yikon’s climate change action plan, titled “Our Clean Future,” was written in 2020. The Yukon government’s goal is to invest in energy efficient sources with low carbon emissions and plan long term. The goal of this plan is to reach its benchmarks by 2030.

The plan focuses on four major areas: 

1. Reducing emissions
2. Maintaining accessible clean energy to all citizens
3. Emphasizing climate change impacts
4. Focusing on a “green” economy

Yukon’s dive into a “green” economy allows it to maintain its economic strength while mitigating the harmful effects of climate change, primarily by seeking out clean energy sources for production, transportation, and manufacturing. However, Yukon also recognizes the likely impact climate change will have in the area, and wants to prepare for the potential long-term impacts of climate change.

The Yukon climate change action plan seeks to reduce emissions in several sectors. They intend to do so through several actions:

1. Introducing zero-emission vehicles and offering better public transportation options
2. Introducing clean energy sources for housing and buildings to cut into emissions
3. Retrofitting older buildings and constructing new housing to meet green standard

Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan (2016)

Ontario’s climate change action plan was created in 2016, and creates climate goals and actions for the following 5 years. Many of its highlights involve shifting into an economy with low carbon emissions while incentivizing green business. Ontario also notes the impact climate change can have on low-income housing opportunities.

The main goal of Ontario’s 2016 climate change action plan is green business. The plan targets use of clean fuels for production and transportation. This cuts into carbon emissions, but also incentives businesses to use green energy as well. 

Ontario’s climate change action plan also seeks to assist businesses and people in a transition to a low carbon economy, through initiatives such as:

1. Creation of incentives for using electric vehicles
2. Expansion of public transportation options
3. Retrofitting of social housing with clean energy.

Other focuses are to reduce carbon emissions through trade while investing in alternative energy sources.

Vancouver Climate Change Action Plan

Vancouver’s climate change action plan, referred to as the Climate Emergency Action Plan, has several objectives. In brief, it seeks to:

1. Cut carbon pollution
2. Seek alternative fuel sources
3. Reduce emissions from housing units. 

This plan was created in November 2020 and aims to achieve its objectives by 2030.

Vancouver’s climate change action plan’s primary goal is to cut into the province’s biggest greenhouse gas emissions by reducing emissions from buildings and vehicles. To do so, their goal is to introduce and ultimately use only clean energy vehicles, such as electric, while creating new standards for buildings. Buildings will need either retrofitting to use clean energy, and new buildings will follow “green” coding standards.

Vancouver’s climate change action plan also aims to help transition the private and public sector into a green economy by offering aid that includes, but is not limited to:

1. Expanding options for public transportation
2. Providing incentives for green energy-use

The Pan-Canadian, Manitoba, Quebec, Yukon, Ontario and Vancouver Climate Change Action Plans Canada is a massive North American landmass composed of multiple nationalities and environmental systems. Like many nations, Canada has a climate action plan, the “Pan Canadian Framework.” The objective of Canada’s climate action plan is to set climate mitigation and adaptation goals and…