Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went into the belly of the beast yesterday, speaking at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, and calling on industries, citizens, and Indigenous groups to help shape the future of Canada’s climate policy.
He outlined how government will soon launch a formal initiative to see input from a range of groups on how Canada will get to the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Taking carbon pollution out of the environment, and the economy, “will be crucial for Canada’s prosperity,” he said.
“This is a big project, and not one any of us can do on our own. We all need to roll up our sleeves and pitch in. Government, businesses, civil society, Indigenous communities, and all Canadians. The only way we create a better future is if we do it together.”
Trudeau pointed to a January letter by Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock Inc., which is one of the world’s largest asset managers, that called climate change a structural, long-term crisis that will force a significant reallocation of capital.
Trudeau’s speech comes a week after Teck Resources shelved its $20-billion Frontier oil sands project, citing the need for more clarity on climate and environmental policies before the company could move forward on such a project.
