Ottawa Insider

Natasha Bulowski reports from Ottawa with a slant on how federal policy is impacting British Columbians.

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808 Articles

Will Trudeau’s wager on carbon capture help or hurt the environment?

Industry is excited about the budget's carbon-capture investments. But the technology is still expensive, and projects have not performed to expectations. Environmentalists worry it will lock us in to fossil fuels. Will Trudeau's wager pay off?

Race Against Climate Change

Carl Meyer

April 21st 2021

Critics throw shade at federal budget cash for home retrofits

The federal budget’s plan to retrofit residential buildings falls short of what is needed to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions and create well-paying jobs, experts say.

Natasha Bulowski

April 21st 2021

Budget 2021 targets cleantech, funding for carbon capture

The 2021 federal budget represented a pivot towards a national industrial strategy for achieving emissions reductions, said Sahir Khan, co-founder and executive vice-president at the University of Ottawa's Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy.

Carl Meyer

April 19th 2021

President Joe Biden, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, signs H.R. 1319, the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021” Thursday, March 11, 2021, in the Oval Office of the White House.

Will Canada follow U.S.’s lead on environmental justice?

The White House’s discretionary budget request, released April 9, includes more than US$1.4 billion for environmental justice initiatives. Of that, US$936 million is earmarked for a new Accelerating Environmental and Economic Justice Initiative.

Natasha Bulowski

April 16th 2021

How the four main federal parties’ climate plans stack up

On Thursday, Erin O’Toole, leader of the official Opposition Conservative Party, released his long-awaited climate plan, complete with its own price on pollution, meaning that all the major national political parties now support some form of carbon pricing.

Race Against Climate Change

Carl Meyer

April 16th 2021

New York State pension fund pulls out of oilsands

As nations tackle the climate emergency and markets "drive a low-carbon economic transition, we need to make sure our investments line up with this reality,” said New York State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the trustee of the US$247-billion fund.

Carl Meyer

April 13th 2021

Liberals told Green New Deal support would help contrast with Conservatives

"It’s super important that we send this strong message, in that we’re already doing this, and put our policies in a framework that is palatable to young people and progressives."

Carl Meyer

April 9th 2021

Green New Deal up for debate at Liberal, NDP conventions

The 2021 Liberal National Convention runs April 8 to 10, while the NDP’s Convention 2021 runs April 9 to 11. Both events are being held virtually.

Carl Meyer

April 7th 2021

Public health groups ask Liberals to ensure climate spending helps low-income families

Public health research has shown that climate change is amplifying the health disparities that poorer people already face as a result of social conditions, like substandard housing or jobs with poor working conditions.

Race Against Climate Change

Carl Meyer

April 6th 2021

Canada lagging on renewables?

Canada added fewer megawatts of renewable energy capacity in 2020 than any of its G7 counterparts, according to new figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). However, there's more to this.

Carl Meyer

April 6th 2021

StatCan expects in-person visits for 2021 census only in ‘rare circumstances’

For the first time, the data agency will be offering the option to fill out the census online to every community this year, saying it is the safest and easiest method.

Carl Meyer

April 5th 2021

Bill banning plastic exports passes through committee

A bill proposing to ban exports of non-recyclable plastic waste from Canada to foreign countries narrowly passed through a parliamentary committee Wednesday.

Yasmine Ghania

April 1st 2021

Manitoba chiefs see carbon price ruling as missed opportunity on reconciliation

“Regardless of (the) ruling, we are stewards of the land and protectors of the waters and we will continue to respect and defend Mother Earth grounded in our Treaties,” says AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.

Carl Meyer

March 31st 2021

Shuttering Line 5 would be a big mistake, energy ministers warn

Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan energy ministers warned a House of Commons committee examining Canada-U.S. relations Tuesday that the shutdown would have a “devastating impact” on the provinces.

Yasmine Ghania

March 30th 2021

Canada outpaced on EV investments, clean energy ahead of 2021 budget

The federal government has an opportunity to change course in about three weeks, when the Liberals table their first budget in over two years, say green groups.

Carl Meyer

March 28th 2021