What’s next for Sustainable Jobs?

Source: Megan Gordon | · PEMBINA INSTITUTE · | June 21, 2024

Time for Canada’s first action plan to position workers to thrive in the energy transition

Photo courtesy of Canadian Labour Congress

The passage of Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, was celebrated by labour organizations and environmental organizations. The Act contains many essential provisions to help Canada thrive in a future in which demand for zero-emission energy sources grow, oil demand starts to decline, and economies shift to align with cost-effective, net-zero strategies.

Now that the Act has received Royal Assent, the Government of Canada will be busy establishing and appointing members to the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat and Partnership Council. Then it’s time to get to work on Canada’s first-ever Sustainable Jobs Plan, which, under the legislation, must be ready by December 31, 2025.

The impetus for all this activity is the need for Canada to be prepared for an energy transition that—make no mistake— is already underway. In the past, similar economic disruptions, such as the phase-out of coal in Alberta or the depletion of the cod fisheries in Atlantic Canda, hurt many communities and workers because governments didn’t have proactive plans in place to invest in and support the people most affected. Canada can ill afford to get it wrong this time around. What’s more, when we get it right, this country has the workforce and innovation necessary to thrive in a net-zero economy.

What exactly is a net-zero economy? It is an economy that continues to deliver goods and services, and a high quality of life, while powered by emissions-free energy. Aligned with Canada’s climate change commitments, this means climate policy and economic policy come together so that we follow those pathways most likely to help us achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in a manner that prioritizes emissions reductions over removals.