Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, delivered on our commitment to legislate Canada’s goal of net zero by 2050, by tabling the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act in the House of Commons. By tabling the Act in the House of Commons to have it written into legislation, we are making a firm stand on our plan to meet our net-zero emissions target.

The Act will do the following:

• Legally bind the Government to a process to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050
• Set rolling 5-year emissions-reduction targets and require plans to reach each one and report on progress
• Establish the Net-Zero Advisory Body to provide independent advice to the Government on the best pathway to reach its targets
• Require the Government of Canada to publish an annual report describing how departments and crown corporations are considering the financial risks and opportunities of climate change in their decision-making
• Enshrine greater accountability and public transparency into Canada’s plan for meeting net-zero emissions by 2050
• Provide for independent third-party review by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to ensure accountability for all future governments

Climate change presents a challenge to our health and our economy, so we need to take action. Watch for more updates to come in the following weeks. In the meantime, please find more details on how we are taking action to create a cleaner future, a stronger and more resilient economy, and reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Government of Canada charts course for clean growth by introducing bill to legislate net-zero emissions by 2050.