Oil & gas companies' emissions are rising. Canadians are paying the price. With a cap on pollution, we can change that.
Canadians are already experiencing the effects of climate change — more frequent and more devastating fires, floods, storms, droughts, and heat waves.
We can’t stop all disasters. But we can keep them from getting worse, by acting now to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Canadians are working hard to do their part, and so are many countries around the world. Yet emissions are still rising from Canada’s biggest polluter — the oil and gas industry.
The federal government promised in 2021 to cap emissions from the oil and gas sector, and published a framework in 2023, but it still has not released the regulations to limit the industry’s pollution.
We can’t afford any more delays. It’s the government’s job to ensure the oil and gas industry does its fair share — or Canadians will continue paying the price.
What People are Saying
Quick Facts
Poll after poll has found that Canadians in every region – including Alberta – want the government to move forward with regulating the oil and gas industry.
The oil and gas industry is just 5% of Canada’s economy, but causes 31% of national emissions – more than any other sector.
Oil and gas emissions rose 83% between 1990 and 2022. The electricity sector emissions dropped by 50% in that same time.
In 2022, Canada’s five biggest oil and gas companies profited $38.3 billion – more than double their 2021 profits.
25 cents out of every dollar of inflation is oil and gas and mining extraction profits, since 2020.
Why cap pollution?
7 in 10 Canadians want the oil and gas sector to start to do its fair share so Canada can meet its climate goals. A cap on oil and gas pollution is an effective tool to make this happen. Canadians from coast to coast to coast support an emissions cap. It’s time the federal government listens to what Canadians want and moves ahead with regulations to cap pollution.
Actions matter more than words – the fossil fuel industry’s actions over the past four decades have seen emissions climb. A strong majority of Canadians are skeptical that oil and gas companies will cut emissions on their own. An emissions cap is our best shot at tackling rising emissions from this industry.
Canada can’t meet its climate target without a cap on oil and gas emissions. As other sectors cut their emissions, and as Canadians work hard to do their part for our climate, the oil and gas industry is raking in record profits and continuing to pollute more than any other sector.
An emissions cap is good for our economy and our climate. Research shows climate action helps to generate jobs, grow the economy, and lower household energy bills. Strong climate policies including an emissions cap could create 100,000 jobs in a net-zero Canada by 2050.
Amid the global race to net-zero, we need to diversify our economy and invest in affordable, secure renewable energy.
A cap on pollution would mean cleaner air and water for everyone in Canada, and a healthier environment for future generations to enjoy.
A fair emissions cap would save the lives of 4,860 people in Canada over a decade through decreased air pollution alone, bringing an economic benefit of CAD $45.1 billion.
But companies are lobbying hard to weaken and delay the policy.
Now is the time for our government to stand up to industry pressure and deliver what Canadians want: regulations for a strong, fair cap that makes fossil fuel companies take responsibility for their pollution.
What a Fair Cap Looks Like
How the cap is designed will determine whether it’s an effective limit on pollution, or whether it lets big polluters continue to get away with their greenwashing and empty promises.
Here’s what’s needed for a strong, fair cap on oil & gas emissions:
Fairness
Fairness.
Hold oil and gas companies accountable for cleaning up their own mess. They have been allowed to operate unchecked for decades, putting the environment, people, and communities at risk for their own profits.
The cap must ensure the industry takes on its fair share of emissions reductions. For Canada to do its part globally, the oil and gas industry must cut emissions 60% below 2005 levels by 2030. At minimum, the cap must meet Canada’s whole-of-economy goal of 45% reductions by 2030.
No delays
No delays.
The science is clear. We can’t afford to delay climate action.
Oil and gas companies are pushing for delays to the cap coming into force, so as to buy themselves more years of inaction. They are falsely claiming they can’t afford a cap, but their record profits clearly show they can – they just don’t want to invest in cutting emissions when they’ve had a free pass to pollute for decades.
We don’t have time to waste. Scientists are calling for faster, deeper emissions cuts. The actions taken (or not taken) in the next few years will shape our planet for centuries. The emissions cap must set the oil & gas sector on track for Canada to meet its 2030 climate target.
No offsets
No offsets.
There is no way around it: oil and gas emissions need to go down. The cap must ensure the oil and gas sector actually cuts its own pollution, rather than buying offsets from other countries or sectors and continuing with business as usual.
No handouts
No handouts.
The industry is making massive profits while still asking for huge government subsidies. Any proceeds from the emissions cap should not be returned to the companies, but used to support communities and workers, especially those impacted by the harm caused by oil and gas operations.
No exceptions
No exceptions.
The emissions cap must cover all oil and gas activities and facilities in Canada, including pipelines, refineries and liquefied natural gas (LNG – methane gas) export facilities. Any exceptions will weaken our chance for a climate-safe future. We need a strong emissions cap to meet our 2030 target.
