Government Plans
and how they can help you act
Government Leadership
(updated 04/2022)
A good government plan will help make really great climate action possible. It will:
- Acknowledge the climate emergency, and the implications, challenges, and opportunities
- Develop a common, proactive vision of the future we want
- identify guiding principles, including government-wide commitment to a smooth transition to a low-carbon future
- Develop transformation plans for key areas of your jurisdiction, including:
- resiliency and adaptation
- electrification and green energy
- buildings (heating and cooling)
- transportation
- food
- waste
- urban design and community development
- Clean technology and a green economy
- industry and major emitters
- Implement legislation, infrastructure investments, fiscal instruments, and programs to support your plan(s)
- Seek allies to help implement the plan(s) - across government, and across the economy and society
- Make climate action easy, affordable, and desirable
- Provide for ongoing consultation, collaboration and review.
Canada's Climate Plans and Climate Sites
So how are we doing?
2021 marked a major shift in climate planning when countries and subnational governments around the world moved to adopt a net-zero by 2050 target (or by 2040 in some cases). Prior to 2021, most governments were working towards an emission reduction target for 2030 and a broad commitment to limit global warming to well below rising to 2°C above what it had been before the industrial revolution – and preferably to keep it below 1.5°C.
Canada and several provinces and territories now have net-zero targets. This is a game-changer, because we are no longer planning to just reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we are planning to eliminate them all together. And this will require transforming how we create and use energy in our homes, transportation, and businesses.
The next few years are critical ones for governments to design smooth pathways to net-zero and to invest in the up-front infrastructure, technology development, and programs that will make the transition easy, affordable, and desirable.
Senior Governments
National
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Climate Targets
- 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Climate Plan
- The 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan - the federal climate plan
- The Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change - the framework for collaboration across Canada
Climate Action Sites
- Climate Change - overview page
- Canada's Climate Plans (including links to previous plans)
- Climate Action and Awareness Fund: projects that encourage engagement and build capacity to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions
Advice and Consultation
- Net-Zero Advisory Body - a permanent advisory group set up to listen to Canadians and provide independent advice on the most likely pathways for Canada to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050
Alberta
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Climate Targets
- Methane emissions in Alberta will be reduced by 45% by 2025.
Climate Plan
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
British Columbia
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Climate Targets
- 16% below 2007 levels by 2025, 40% by 2030, 60% by 2040 and 80% by 2050.
- a reduction of 25.4 Mt GHG from a 2007 baseline by 2030
Climate Plan
- B.C.'s Climate Plan: Information on the government's climate plan. click on the link to the CleanBC Plan.
Climate Action Sites
- Climate Action Toolkit: A detailed website of ideas, guides, and resources available for community-based climate action.
Manitoba
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Climate Plan
Climate Action Sites
- Effiiency Manitoba: Information on conservation programs and incentives
New Brunswick
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Climate Plan
- New Brunswick Climate Change Site: New Brunswick's information site, with links to the province's climate plan
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
Newfoundland and Labrador
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Climate Plan
Climate Action Sites
- Turn Back the Tide: A great one-stop shop for Newfoundland and Labrador's climate action plan. Here, you'll find factsheets on solutions, links to incentives and resources, and interactive tools.
Northwest Territories
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change: The government's information site on climate change with links to the 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework and 2019-2023 Action Plan.
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
Nova Scotia
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change: The government's information site on climate change, including a proposed cap and trade program.
- What Nova Scotia is Doing - the details, including a link to the 2009 Nova Scotia climate plan.
Climate Action Sites
- Efficiency Nova Scotia and the Clean Foundation can help you learn more about what you can do around your home and business.
Nunavut
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Climate Plan
- Nunavut Climate Change Centre: The government's information site on climate change, including a section on Voices From the Land. Information on climate plans can be found in the Publications section.
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
Ontario
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change: The Ontario government's main information page on climate change. Ontario's climate change plan can be found as a section of it's Environment Plan.
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
Prince Edward Island
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change Action Plan: The government's information site on its climate change
- PEI Climate Change Action Plan 2018-2023
Climate Action Sites
Quebec
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change: The government's information site on climate change, with a page of links to reports and information on the Green Fund.
- 2030 Plan for a Green Economy is the electrification and climate change policy framework that will serve as the government’s roadmap over the next ten years.
Climate Action Sites
- Fonds Vert: Information on the Province's Green Fund (French only).
Saskatchewan
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change: The government's information site on climate change.
- Prairie Resilience: A Made-in-Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
Yukon
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Climate Plan
- Climate Change and Yukon: The government's information site on climate change
- Our Clean Future: A Yukon strategy for climate change, energy and a green economy
Climate Action Sites
- N/A
Municipalities
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
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Climate Plan
Partners for Climate Protection: FCM manages a federally-funded program to assist Canadian municipalities to plan for climate adaptation and mitigation. Over 300 municipalities across the country are involved, at various steps along the five milestones:
- Creating a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and forecast
- Setting an emissions reductions target
- Developing a local action plan
- Implementing the local action plan or a set of activities
- Monitoring progress and reporting results
Climate Action Sites
The PCP program recommends public engagement in the planning process:
- Milestone 3 encourages municipalities to seek public input, and
- Milestone 4 recommends setting up a community task force.
The emphasis is on public consultation as opposed to empowering individual and community action. FCM does encourage meaningful engagement, however, and a number of municipalities have developed a strong public component to their plans.
Toronto
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Climate Plan
- Transform TO integrates climate action and quality of life into a long term plan for the Toronto.
Climate Action Sites
- Live Green Toronto has great ideas on combining green living and quality of life. Be sure to sign up for the Live Green card to get discounts at participating stores and businesses.
- Live Green Perks: Consumer-facing site to promote green businesses in Toronto.
Vancouver
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Climate Plan
- Greenest City Action Plan: Vancouver's action plan to become one of the world's greenest cities.
Climate Action Sites
- How you can go green is a page on the Greenest City site with an overview of individual actions.
Montreal
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Climate Plan
- Montreal's climate mitigation and adaptation plan
- Ecological Transition: Learn about the city’s efforts and achievements in collaboration with the boroughs and its partners to move forward on ecological transition.
The National Climate League - Municipal Scorecard
Want more info on municipal leadership? Check out the National Climate League - a yearly project developed by the Climate Reality Project Canada. Every year they publish a report on municipal climate leadership with the support of volunteers in community climate hubs across Canada.
Helping people act
Every government should have a web site or page dedicated to climate action -- helping Canadians act in their homes and communities.
Let's say you want to find out what incentives are available for energy conservation. Or perhaps you are looking for funding for a community project. Or you might want to know how your government is investing in transit or charging stations for electric vehicles. Whatever your interest, you should be able to access information with ease.
This is what a good information website should contain:
Priorities for climate action, including major government actions that will support individual and business action
Incentives and support for individuals and businesses, covering energy conservation, green power, transportation alternatives, and other climate solutions
Funding for community and non-governmental organizations, in particular for community action and programs to engage and support climate action
Climate campaigns and marketing tools, in particular collaborative campaigns to promote climate action and individual climate solutions
Links to other funding and programs with similar goals, including community development, nature, health, culture, and recreation.
Information on government investments in infrastructure, economic development and other measures in support of climate action
It can be done
Several of the fourteen senior governments have web pages that list individual and community action on climate; including the federal government, British Columbia, and Quebec. Only Newfoundland and Labrador has a climate website that has been designed to engage the public in climate action.
Turn Back the Tide
A catchy title, a great design, and a website chock full of ideas and with links to incentives and support programs. Produced by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, this is what a government information site should look like.
