Budget’s environmental spending focuses greenbacks on green homes
Posted March 23, 2011 7:40 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Environmental spending in the federal budget focused the greenbacks on green homes.
The NDP had called on the Tories to renew the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program and the government complied Tuesday — pouring an extra $400 million into the initiative.
But that wasn’t enough for the party to come out in favour of the overall spending plan, meaning the homes program and other green initiatives in the budget have likely hit a red light.
The retrofit program offers rebates to help make homes more energy efficient and was initially designed as a four-year program due to end this year. It proved to be a popular package for a government fending off accusations of ignoring the environment. The Tories topped it up in the last two budgets before deciding to extend it in this budget for another year.
The government had also hoped to look farther down the line when it came to green programs.
The Conservatives allocated $35 million over five years to support climate change and atmospheric research, and a further $58 million over two years for programs to help Canadians cope with the effects of climate change.
While Canada’s actions on the environmental file are often pilloried around the world, the government maintains that dealing with climate change is an international effort that can only work if all nations are on board. The budget provides $25 million over two years to continue with Canada’s international engagement on the file, including work with the United States.
The government is hoping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020, and has focused on regulatory actions to achieve that goal.
“This approach will achieve real emissions reductions, while maintaining Canada’s economic advantage and creating jobs for Canadians,” the budget said.
Ottawa wanted to allocated $386 million over two years to pursue that course of action. The lion’s share would go to regulations designed to address climate change and air quality.
In total, $870 million was to be spent over two years on what the government calls the “Clean Air Agenda.”
But the Tories also stuck a green thumb into other pieces of the funding pie.
“Canada is increasingly looked to as a secure and dependable supplier of a wide-range of energy projects,” the budget said.
Aboriginal and northern communities were given $8 million over two years in renewed funding to promote clean-energy technologies, while a further $97 million is being renewed over two years for generalized development of clean energy products.
Sustainable Development and Technology Canada, an arms-length government foundation, was also to receive $40 million over two years to develop clean technology.
“This is an important message to the Canadian clean tech sector that the government is helping them to be even more successful,” said Vicky Sharpe, president and CEO of SDTC, in a statement.
Environment Minister Peter Kent has stressed that his portfolio isn’t just about protecting the environment but also celebrating it.
The budget includes the creation of a new national park in Labrador and funding for the Great Lakes.
But the Green Party dismissed the all the efforts, saying that the budget didn’t address Canada’s ecological deficit.
“Overall, this ‘steady as she goes’ budget reflects the lack of imagination, vision or plan of this government,” said Green Party leader Elizabeth May in a statement.
