The Little Things Count

Canada has a in place a comprehensive ecoAction plan which has been in full swing since 2000. Among the many targets is a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, although whether that is 20% below 1990 levels (as common with the targets of other countries and the Kyoto Protocol) remains unclear. Another target is that 90% of Canada's electricity needs be generated by clean energy, such as hydro, nuclear, or wind power by 2020. "Clean coal" is also included, which is coal chemically washed to remove minerals and impurities, as well as clean coal technologies to reduce the environmental impact of coal energy generation.
Regulations are being developed that will require a 5% average renewable fuel content in Canadian gasoline, i.e. ethanol, by 2010. With similar regulation intended for diesel fuel and heating oil to contain a 2% average renewable content by 2012.
Investments to implement a performance-based, efficient regulatory regime nationally include:

• ecoENERGY iniatives targeting more than $2 billion in renewable energy, energy science and technology, and energy efficiency.
• ecoTRANSPORT initiatives investing more than $4 billion in renewable fuels and a cleaner, more efficient, transportation system.
• ecoAGRICULTURE initiatives investing almost $500 million to assist farmers and rural communities in taking advantages of new opportunities in the agriculture bio-products sector.

Budget 2007 provided a $1.5 billion trust fund to help the provinces and territories invest in major projects that clean air.

Budget 2008 included measures to strengthen and ensure effective implementation of Canada's ecoAction plan, including:

• $500 million for investments to improve public transit that will contribute to cleaner air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• A $250 million investment in carbon capture and storage initiatives, including $240 million in trust (separate) for Saskatchewan to be matched by the province and industry for a full-scale commercial demonstration of carbon capture and storage in the coal-fired electricity sector.
• Increases in various capital cost allowances (for: carbon dioxide pipelines, clean-energy generation equipment).
• Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax relief to land leased to situate wind or solar power equipment for the production of electricity.

Budget 2009 is providing over $2 billion in incremental funding to support a cleaner and more sustainable environment. This budget provides:

• $1 billion over five years for a new Green Infrastructure Fund to support green infrastructure projects, including the generation of sustainable energy.
• Another $1 billion over 5 years for clean energy research and demonstration projects, including carbon capture and storage. This is expected to generate a total investment in clean technologies of (at least) $2.5 billion.
• $300 million over two years to the ecoEnergy Home Retrofit program, supporting an estimated 200,000 retrofits across Canada.
• $80.5 million over two years for the management and assessment of federal contaminated sites, which will facilitate remediation work totalling an estimated $165 million over two years.
• $10 million in 2009/10 to support annual Government reports on clean air, water and greenhouse gas emissions.
• A one-time federal investment of $1.3 billion over two years to support renovations and retrofits of social housing, a cost shared 50:50 with provinces.