Harper government cuts to environment programs bad policy and bad for future generations

For Immediate Release
March 2, 2011

OTTAWA - The coming double-digit cuts to Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada, which include a 59-percent reduction in spending for climate change and clean air programs, will leave a legacy of indifference to the needs of our children.

"Well now we know what the government’s priorities are,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “And tackling climate change and protecting the environment are not among them.”

“We're replacing Canada’s Action Plan with an official inaction plan," said Bennett.

Environment Canada provides the federal government with much of its scientific capacity to monitor the environment and assess the impacts of pollution. Without this science, the development of policies and enforcement of federal environmental regulations will be significantly compromised.

"This makes all the announcements about improving “monitoring” and “enforcement” of the tar sands megaprojects meaningless," said Bennett.

Also among the cuts were Natural Resources Canada's energy efficiency programs, which helped Canadians retrofit their homes and replace old and inefficient household appliances with energy efficient models.

“These were good programs that made a difference,” said Bennett. “They were very popular well received by the public. It’s unthinkable the Harper government would kill them.”

"Energy efficiency is good economic policy and good for the environment,” said Bennett. “But this government clearly doesn’t believe in science-based decision making, and it obviously has no consideration for the environment it’s leaving for future generations.”