Let’s talk politics: how Canada’s political parties stack up on climate change
Voting in an election in the best of times can feel like an insurmountable feat of untangling fact from fiction, never mind during a global pandemic. As is the case for most people, a few issues that rank highly on their list of priorities tend to guide which box they check on the ballot and for our team at Suppli, there is no greater issue than climate change. For that reason, we’ve done a deep dive into each of the Canadian political parties’ stances on climate change and their proposed solutions to the problem. We’re sharing the Coles Notes of our findings with you today in the hopes that it may bring some clarity, beginning with the least progressive platform and commencing with the most progressive.
Before we start, you may want to brush up on The Paris Agreement (here is a great informational video), as emissions targets pertaining to it will be a recurring theme below.
5. People’s Party of Canada (PPC)
An easy one to get out of the way first, The People’s Party of Canada, led by former Conservative Maxime Bernier, does not believe that anthropogenic activity has contributed to the climate change crisis. They would withdraw Canada from the Paris Agreement and pay little mind to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Safe to say, if you plan to vote with climate change in mind, this is not the political party for you.
4. Conservatives
The Conservatives (leader: Erin O’Toole) will keep Canada in the Paris Agreement with a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2030, which was Canada’s original Paris Agreement target. Many in the environmental space have argued that this is simply not aggressive enough to curb the trajectory our planet is on. The Conservatives also plan to tax personal carbon usage at $20/tonne, rising to $50/tonne by 2030. These tax dollars will accumulate in a carbon savings account that can be used to make environmentally conscious purchases. For corporations, the Conservatives plan to tax carbon at a rate of $170/tonne by 2030. With respect to a responsible phasing out of fossil fuels and a transition to a low-carbon economy, the Conservative party has not formally proposed any plan based on our research.
3. Liberals
The Liberals (leader: Justin Trudeau) plan to increase their goal of cutting carbon emissions to 40-45% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. They propose a national price on carbon of $40/tonne rising to $170/tonne by 2030. Unlike the Conservatives’ carbon savings account, the Liberal government plans to return 90% of personal carbon taxes via rebates with the balance provided mainly to public services like schools and hospitals. Where it comes to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, the Liberals plan to invest $2 billion into a national fund for creating clean jobs. They also plan to eliminate oil and gas subsidies, though oil pipelines remain on the table and have been cited by the Liberal government as a necessary revenue source to fund future environmental endeavours. Finally, the Liberals want to end thermal coal exports and ban single-use plastics by 2030.
2. New Democratic Party (NDP)
The NDP (leader: Jagmeet Singh) wants to cut emissions 50% by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050. They want carbon-free electricity by 2030 and completely non-emitting electricity by 2040. The NDP carbon pricing plan matches that of the Liberals with respect to tax levels, though they promise to crack down on loopholes in the Liberal plan that they claim make it easy for big polluters not to pay their fair share. The NDP is committed to spending a reported $26 billion to fight climate change and create “over a million good jobs” as part of their shift to a low-carbon economy and they plan to completely eliminate and ban oil and gas subsidies in the amount of $18 billion (the amount purportedly paid by the federal government last year), while redirecting these funds to more sustainable initiatives.
1. Green Party
The Green Party (leader: Annamie Paul) wants to cut net emissions 60% by 2030, a level supported by most environmentalists as aggressive enough to curb current warming and achieve net-zero emissions ASAP. They plan to tax carbon at $50/tonne, increasing to $275/tonne by 2030. The Green Party’s plan to transition Canada to a low-carbon economy is the most aggressive of all parties. In addition to eliminating and banning all fossil fuel subsidies, they plan to cancel all new pipeline projects and oil exploration projects. They’ll prohibit the use of federal lands for fossil fuel purposes as well as ban fracking and exports of thermal coal. The Green Party also plans to create high-paying jobs in the green sector to relocate workers from less sustainable industries.
Unranked Bloc Quebecois
We’ve not ranked the Bloc because not as much information is published and carbon pricing systems in Quebec utilize a cap-and-trade system. They are purported to support slashing emissions 60% by 2030 and previously supported carbon taxation of $30/tonne rising to $300/tonne by 2030.
