Ontario Premier Doug Ford, backed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, is calling on the federal government to repeal several of Canada’s key environmental laws – including those that protect species extinction, clean energy, and emissions, among others.
In an article for Canada’s National Observer, Principal Investigator Michael Drescher says federal environmental laws remain the only meaningful barrier for protecting ecosystems amidst development.
According to Prof. Drescher, the joint provincial push to repeal these laws appears to be more like an effort to eliminate environmental safeguards altogether, especially in light of the recently passed Bill 5 in Ontario. What’s more, Ottawa already has tools like Bill C-5 that exempt certain “nation-building” projects for development.
Prof. Drescher warns that repealing federal laws could also undermine Canada’s international commitments on climate change and biodiversity. Currently, a federal backstop requires provinces to have a carbon price in place, requiring major polluters to pay for their emissions. If the backstop were removed – as both provinces are requesting – there would be no incentive for polluters to reduce emissions, threatening Canada’s international emissions reductions targets and transition to a cleaner economy.
Prof. Drescher also warns that leaving environmental protection solely to the provinces could have serious consequences as pollution and species loss have impacts on ecosystems across borders.
RISE Principal Investigator Prof. Michael Drescher.