Investments help Canadians drive clean

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/01/2018 (3094 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Investing in clean and green technologies is the smart thing to do for Canada’s economy. Across our country, and here at home in Manitoba, we are working hard to manage the transition to a low carbon economy.

Around the world, markets are changing. Industries are turning to cleaner and more sustainable options while taking the vast wealth in traditional sources of energy to help finance the transition. Our government continues to support green infrastructure that will advance both global and Canadian efforts to realize our climate change goals, while creating well-paying jobs.

At the Generation Energy conference held in Winnipeg last October, delegates from across the country and around the world discussed the inevitable transition to a low carbon economy.

Canada has an opportunity to create a world-leading clean economy. The investments outlined in Budget 2017 will help to deliver on that goal. Budget 2017 highlights our government’s plan to invest $21.9 billion over 11 years to support green infrastructure. We want to help Canadians make greener choices by providing them with more options to reduce their carbon footprint. Through these investments, Canada has positioned itself as a global leader in clean growth, illustrating to the world that a clean environment and a strong economy can go hand in hand.

The global market for clean technology is expected to surpass $1 trillion per year, and we believe that Canadian companies should become global leaders.

This gives Canada a massive opportunity for employment growth as countries around the world seek out more sustainable and renewable sources of energy. Electric, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles are the future of transportation. I am pleased that our government is investing an additional $120 million to expand the network of electric vehicle charging stations across Canada. This brings our total investment to $182.5 million, which will fund more than 300 electric vehicle fast-charging stations. With these investments, Canadians will have the opportunity to drive from coast-to-coast without range anxiety.

This funding is part of Phase 2 of the Green Infrastructure Fund, which supports the deployment of electric chargers and natural gas and hydrogen refuelling stations, the demonstration of innovative charging technologies, and the development of new codes and standards.

Winnipeg and Manitoba are well positioned to grow their electrical vehicle network through strong partnerships. Cadillac Fairview will be installing a fast-charging station at Polo Park which was funded through Phase I of the electrical vehicle initiative, and there already are charging stations at a number of locations throughout Winnipeg, such as Fort Whyte, Knight Auto Haus Volkswagen, Assiniboine Park and the Forks.

We are supporting the ingenuity of Canadian electric vehicle and alternative fuel companies. Organizations across the country can apply for funding, with proposals now being accepted for deployment and demonstration projects.

Canada can lead. Let’s use all of our resources to achieve the goal we all want.