Canadian Environment Week 2022: Statement from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault

GATINEAU, QC, June 10, 2022 /CNW/ - "As the celebrations for Canadian Environment Week end, we are reminded that we have only one Earth. From the Torngat Mountains on the Labrador Peninsula to Haida Gwaii on the Pacific Ocean, from Point Pelee in Lake Erie to Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan all the way to Iqaluit in Nunavut, Canada makes a signature contribution to the health and biodiversity of the planet. When we protect the environment in Canada, we make the world a better place.

"This year marks a milestone for the environmental community as we celebrate fifty years since the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which is considered to be the first international meeting about the environment. Today, Canada is at the forefront of driving environmental action forward.

"Canadian Environment Week is our annual celebration of the actions we are taking to protect the environment. It is also an opportunity to reflect on how we treat our planet. This week, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced further actions to preserve nature, tackle climate change, and reduce pollution across the country. We created a Nature Advisory Committee, announced $11.3M to support biodiversity conservation in the buffer zones of Biosphere Reserves across Canada, and amended regulations to better protect migratory birds throughout the country. We announced another winner of the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenge that will work toward sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging. On the climate change front, we brought forward our final regulations to establish a Federal Greenhouse Gas Offset system to create market incentives for new emissions reductions, and we updated and expanded our Memorandum of Cooperation with California, which will allow Canada to create a framework on shared priorities such as reducing pollution, adapting to climate change, and conserving nature.    

"To complement our actions, Natural Resources Canada announced over $2.4 million in funding through the 2 Billion Trees program, which helps mitigate climate change while achieving key biodiversity and conservation goals, as well as supporting community well-being. Additionally, they recognized the 2022 ENERGY STAR Canada leaders in energy efficiency, announced funding for EV chargers in British Columbia and in New Brunswick and celebrated the official occupancy of a Canadian building built using forest resources efficiently through low-carbon building systems. Fisheries and Oceans Canada also announced $2.1 million to fund eight ocean science projects across the country and unveiled the establishment of the Eastern Canyons Marine Refuge off the coast of Nova Scotia, bringing Canada one step closer to reaching our goal to conserve twenty-five percent of our oceans by 2025, and thirty percent by 2030. They also published the state of Canadian Pacific marine ecosystems report, which gives an overview of the health of Canada's Pacific Ocean and shares our knowledge of the many influences that affect it.

"Young Canadians were also celebrated for their role in tackling climate change and pollution. A few days ago, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, in partnership with Little Inventors, announced the six winners of the Mission: Protect our oceans mini challenges. The six winning inventions were built and showcased during the Science Odyssey 2022 festival on June 8. Inventors may be featured in the Canadian Science Fair Journal.

"It is also very fitting that Canadian Environment Week takes place during Indigenous History Month, as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada have long been stewards of the environment and are crucial collaborators in protecting nature, preserving biodiversity, and tackling the climate crisis. Thank you for all of your contributions—past and present.

"I wish to acknowledge and thank Canadians from all regions and generations for the truly collective effort underway to help safeguard Canada's natural beauty. Although this week dedicated to nature is coming to an end, I invite all Canadians to keep learning about the benefit of having a clean environment and celebrating our #OnlyOneEarth."

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Kaitlin Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]