Canada’s Environment Minister, Peter Kent, spoke to the Vancouver Board of Trade today about the Government of Canada’s initiatives to strengthen environmental protection.

“The value of our environment and its significance are well understood by the Harper Government,” says Kent. “We recognize conservation and environmental protection are very important to the well-being of all Canadians.”

Kent outlined the federal government’s commitment to ensuring Canadians have access to a healthy environment. The Canadian government is committed to protecting the environment and has backed up that commitment by taking a number of measures.

For example, it is:

• Implementing regulations to reduce greenhouse gases from coal-fired electricity plants, which will reduce greenhouse gases by 214 Megatonnes between 2015 and 2035. The federal government expects every coal-fired plant in Canada that uses traditional technology will eventually be closed, with the first plants closing in the next few years.
• Implementing regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles that will see emissions from 2018 vehicles reduced by up to 23 per cent.
• Consulting on regulations that will see greenhouse gases from cars and light trucks fall by 50 per cent by 2025.
• Implementing regulations requiring five per cent renewable fuel in gasoline.

Through sound science, strong leadership and productive partnerships, the federal government has also advanced initiatives towards protecting and increasing land conservation, and protecting endangered species.

These initiatives include the proposed designation of the Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area, and the proposed Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve.