The 2017 federal budget reduces some of the subsidies to the fossil fuel industry but still allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to the industry.
Subsidizing the fossil fuel industry undermines actions being taken to fight climate change, including the many initiatives supported in this budget. The budget included some important steps toward a clean energy economy, such as efforts to reduce reliance on diesel in Indigenous and northern communities.
Canada is fortunate to have many sources of renewable power (wind, solar, geothermal, etc.) and has the tools, technology, ideas, innovation and policies to accomplish the emission targets we’ve set to hold global temperature rise to a maximum of 2 C. We can build a clean economy that will create long-term jobs throughout the country, reduce extreme weather events, improve human health and reduce boom-and-bust cycles in the energy sector that are causing some regions of the country to suffer.
It’s time to put an end to fossil fuel subsidies once and for all. The amount of funds allocated in this futile attempt to keep an obsolete and destructive industry afloat would be much more advantageously spent to subsidize sustainable, clean energy startups.
Yvonne Owens
Esquimalt
