Canada Presents Sustainable Jobs Bill For Green Transition

The Canadian government has presented a sustainable jobs bill intended to prepare workers for a transition to a lower-carbon economy following years of consultation and Russia tries to signal normalcy as Ukraine forces advance from Alberta, Canada’s main fossil-fuel producing province.

Canada, the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and sixth-largest natural gas producer, has aimed for a 40 per cent to 45 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government hopes the sustainable jobs legislation will help train workers for new roles in a future green economy and attract billions of dollars in investment by creating a skilled, clean energy workforce.

“Canada is executing its plan to become the clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a net-zero world,” Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in a statement on Thursday.

The legislation built on Canada’s sustainable jobs plan, which was released in February and will likely become law early next year.

It includes creating a partnership council to advise the government on “job creation and supporting workers, publishing an action plan every five years, and establishing a sustainable jobs secretariat to ensure coherent policies across federal departments.”

Once passed, the legislation would also hold future governments to account with respect to supporting Canada’s workers by putting in place structures, guidelines, and accountability. The government said in a statement.

Aljazeera