Le biberon empoisonné – La Presse Op-Ed
Pas facile de lâcher le biberon pétrolier qui empoisonne notre planète. Comment concilier la nécessaire décarbonation et la sécurité énergétique ? Et, de surcroît, assurer une transition juste pour les provinces productrices ?
Ces questions n’ont pas de réponses faciles. À raison, les environnementalistes poussent pour un sevrage et une transition rapide vers les énergies renouvelables. Mais les consommateurs sont habiles à rationaliser l’utilité de leur VUS. Et à l’ère du populisme, les gouvernements craignent de les brusquer. Quant aux pétrolières et aux provinces productrices, elles cherchent évidemment à protéger leur pactole le plus longtemps possible.
En Europe, la guerre en Ukraine a rappelé brutalement l’…
Glen Hodgson – Playing It Safe: Assessing the First Federal Green Bond Issue
From: Glen Hodgson To: Canadians Interested in Sustainable Finance Date: April 11, 2022 Re: Playing It Safe: Assessing the First Federal Green Bond Issue The Government of Canada recently issued its first green bond, fulfilling a commitment made in the 2021 Budget. This inaugural federal green bond offering, at $5 billion, is another milestone in the development of the […] Monica Gattinger – The War in Ukraine and Global Energy Security: Will it Unite or Divide Canadians?
From: Monica Gattinger To: Canadians Concerned About Energy and Climate Change Date: March 22, 2022 Re: The War in Ukraine and Global Energy Security: Will it Unite or Divide Canadians? Russia’s Ukraine invasion has propelled energy security to the top of political agendas the world over. The global focus on security dovetails with heightened global concern about climate […] Neil Alexander – Canada’s Leadership in Deploying Small Modular Reactors – Developing Momentum
From: Neil Alexander To: Canadian Nuclear Watchers Date: March 15, 2022 Re: Canada’s Leadership in Deploying Small Modular Reactors – Developing Momentum Provinces are making significant progress towards the deployment of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs.) In December, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) selected GE-Hitachi as its partner to build a business case for a 300-megawatt unit at its Darlington […] Lawrence Herman – Alberta Breaks New Ground in its Keystone Appeal
From: Lawrence Herman To: Canadians Concerned About Trade Date: February 25, 2022 Re: Alberta Breaks New Ground in its Keystone Appeal Earlier this month, the Alberta government launched a NAFTA investment arbitration suit against the US, seeking $1.3 billion as compensation for President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. TC Energy, the company behind KXL, has filed its […] Biden’s White House will fight hard against Alberta’s $1.3 billion Keystone XL pipeline lawsuit – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
Earlier this month, the Alberta government launched a NAFTA investment arbitration suit against the United States, seeking $1.3-billion as compensation for President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. TC Energy, the company behind KXL, has filed its own NAFTA case, but Alberta is now seeking compensation for the province’s investment in the pipeline.
The case is groundbreaking because for the first time it involves one government – albeit a provincial one – suing another government under the North American free-trade agreement investment provisions. This has implications for other investment disputes around the world.
When the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020, it…
Under Water: Where is the flood insurance coverage? – Globe and Mail Op-Ed
The recent terrible B.C. floods have confirmed how unprepared we are for climate change and severe weather events. The extensive damage in British Columbia has been in the spotlight; a similar event in another province would have many of the same disastrous consequences. The federal and B.C. governments announced this week they will spend $228-million to help affected farmers and their communities return to normal production activity.
What can be done to help protect the value of physical assets from climate risk – specifically housing and commercial buildings? More universal access to flood insurance is the most obvious risk-management tool, along with significant investment in public infrastructure to build resilience. However…
Drew Yewchuk – Why Alberta’s Plan for the Unpaid Municipal Taxes of Oil and Gas Companies Won’t Work
From: Drew Yewchuk To: Alberta’s orphan well watchers Date: December 14, 2021 Re: Why Alberta’s Plan for the Unpaid Municipal Taxes of Oil and Gas Companies Won’t Work New Alberta legislation gives municipal governments the power to place liens on pipelines and wells of companies that fail to pay their assessed municipal taxes as part of the province’s struggle […] Janis Sarra – Directors Need Help on Climate Change
From: Janis Sarra To: Canada’s Boards of Directors Date: November 22, 2021 Re: Directors Need Help on Climate Change Climate change considerations are looming large in corporate boardrooms as directors grapple with emerging reporting rules. The latest development came with Mark Carney’s announcement at the COP26 summit in Glasgow of the Global Finance Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), whose […] Drummond, Samson – Four Pillars for Canada’s Green Transition
From: Don Drummond and Rachel Samson To: Concerned Canadians Date: November 19, 2021 Re: Four Pillars for Canada’s Green Transition Canadian governments are counting on strong economic growth to reduce debt burdens that ballooned during the pandemic. But realizing that growth depends on how well Canadian businesses adapt to rapidly changing market realities. In the near term, Canada’s economic recovery […] Le marché pétrolier dicte le prix du carbone – La Presse Opinion
Alors que les gouvernements craignent de taxer davantage le carbone pour en décourager l’usage dans l’économie, le marché du pétrole en augmente brutalement le prix, se fichant éperdument de la colère des électeurs.
Nous nageons en plein paradoxe. Depuis longtemps, les économistes s’époumonent à demander aux gouvernements de hausser le prix du carbone, par une taxe ou une bourse, pour favoriser la transition vers les énergies propres, mais les politiques n’osent souvent que des pas timides.
Or, c’est le marché qui fonce présentement. Depuis le creux de la pandémie, le prix nord-américain du pétrole a bondi de 145 %, au-dessus des 80 $ US le baril, et celui du gaz naturel a triplé. Si on remonte à peu avant…
Benjamin Dachis – Ontario Government Shutting Down the Electricity Price Casino
To: Ontario Electricity Watchers From: Benjamin Dachis Date: November 15, 2021 Re: Ontario Government Shutting Down the Electricity Price Casino Early this month, the Ontario government quietly announced plans to create a pilot “interruptible rate” for large industrial electricity customers. This is good news for customers and for a system that needs to rationalize its pricing regime. The […]