By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin would not say whether she supports a new oil pipeline, nor acknowledge that a new pipeline would increase planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, at a federal committee meeting Monday morning.
Continue reading Environment minister won’t say whether new pipeline would increase or decrease emissionsBy Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is planning to eliminate the city’s sustainability and climate department under the guise of a push to prevent increases to property taxes in his proposed “Zero Means Zero” 2026 budget.
Canada’s National Observer learned about the planned cuts from sources familiar with internal conversations; the information was then corroborated by opposition city councillor Pete Fry. Opposition councillor Lucy Maloney confirmed that council had received a proposal for cuts to the city’s planning, urban design and sustainability departments but no further details. Under the alleged proposal, Vancouver would gut its entire sustainability and climate team and move staff to other departments, lay them off or see some quit outright.
Continue reading Vancouver mayor plans to eliminate city’s climate and sustainability department
By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget did not deliver new investments on climate or clean tech. In fact, some experts say it takes a step backwards.
The “climate competitiveness strategy” Carney has been teasing spanned 10 pages out of the 406-page document. It committed to improve the federal government’s emissions reduction workhorse — the industrial carbon pricing system — but provided precious few details on how it would do so, while leaving the door wide open to ditching the proposed cap on oil and gas sector emissions and weakening greenwashing rules.
“This is the most climate negative budget we’ve seen in more than a decade since the Harper era,” Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood, a senior researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, told Canada’s National Observer during the budget lockup in Ottawa.
Continue reading ‘Climate negative’: Canada’s energy transition progress stalls in first Carney budgetBy Natasha Bulowski – with files from Rochelle Baker, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada’s auditor general wants to know whether the federal government is doing a good job protecting its assets — including dams, buildings, vehicles and more — from the increasingly severe impacts of climate change.
The Department of National Defence received a notification letter — obtained by Canada’s National Observer through an access to information request — that the auditor general is launching a performance audit of “Protecting Federal Assets From Climate Change.”
The audit is for the government-wide Greening Government Strategy but pays special attention to three key departments — Fisheries and Oceans Canada, National Defence and Public Services and Procurement Canada — to assess their progress on protecting their assets, services and activities from climate change.
Continue reading Billions in federal buildings, roads and other assets at risk from climate change
By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada’s new energy and natural resources minister championed the energy sector Friday, calling on governments and industry to work together to build the Pathways Alliance’s proposed carbon capture project.
Continue reading Minister says Canada needs ‘infrastructure that gets our energy to tidewater’ at Calgary meeting
