We have our best shot ever to tackle rising emissions from Canada's oil and gas industry – to help our economy and our climate.
The federal government has a make or break decision that will determine if Canada finally meets our climate goals. For two decades, Canada has set and missed climate goals. Our economy and our climate can’t afford more delays.
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.
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.
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: a strong, fair cap that makes fossil fuel companies take responsibility for their pollution.
Quick Facts
7 in 10 Canadians want the emissions cap to ensure that the oil and gas industry takes on its fair share of climate action.
Oil and gas industry is just 5% of Canada’s economy, but causes 27% of national emissions – more than any other sector.
Oil and gas emissions rose 87% between 1990 and 2019. The electricity sector emissions dropped 36% 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
