Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development

Comité permanent de l'environnement et du développement durable

For immediate release

Ottawa, April 09, 2019 -

The Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development today tabled a report on how to accelerate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Canada through the forestry, agriculture and waste sectors.

The report, entitled Clean Growth and Climate Change in Canada: Forestry, Agriculture and Waste, contains 16 recommendations for the federal government to help these sectors continue to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, store carbon in soils and wood, and produce more bioenergy and bioproducts. These recommendations address areas including: developing a Canadian bioenergy strategy; improving farmers’ access to innovative agricultural technologies; ecologically appropriate suppression of forest fires; waste management research and innovation; incentivizing the use of bioproducts; accelerating forest regeneration following natural disturbances; and having the Government of Canada lead by example through its own operations.

“The forestry, agriculture, and waste sectors account for 13% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions,” said Mr. Aldag, the Chair of the Committee. “These sectors have already made great strides to reduce emissions and to increase stored carbon. We are recommending federal government policy to further the potential of these sectors to reduce Canada’s emissions and address climate change.”

The Committee looks forward to further collaboration and cooperation among federal, provincial, territorial, and interested governments, and industry to increase long-term carbon storage, to produce and use more Canadian bioproducts and bioenergy, and to promote innovation that reduces emissions.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development for this study consists of 11 MPs. It is chaired by John Aldag (Cloverdale – Langley City). The vice chairs are the Honourable Ed Fast (Abbotsford) and Wayne Stetski (Kootenay – Columbia). The other members are William Amos (Pontiac), Mike Bossio (Hastings – Lennox and Addington), Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport), Darren Fisher (Dartmouth – Cole Harbour), Sean Fraser (Central Nova), Joël Godin (Portneuf – Jacques-Cartier), Joe Peschisolido (Steveston – Richmond East), and Mark Warawa (Langley – Aldergrove).