43rd PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development EVIDENCE NUMBER 017 Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Chair: Mr. Francis Scarpaleggia 1 Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development Wednesday, March 10, 2021 ● (1645) It has certainly been a difficult year for all Canadians. Despite [English] the challenges of the pandemic, I have appreciated our ongoing en‐ gagement even if only through virtual means. The Chair (Mr. Francis Scarpaleggia (Lac-Saint-Louis, Lib.)): I call the meeting to order. Welcome to meeting number 17 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment Since we last met in December, the focus of the government has and Sustainable Development. remained primarily on supporting Canadian families and Canadian businesses to get through the COVID crisis. We're meeting today, pursuant to Standing Order 81(5), to con‐ sider the supplementary estimates (C), 2020-21, referred to the committee on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. Taking action on climate change, addressing biodiversity loss and the scourge of the pollution in our national environment are Everyone knows the rules, but I'll mention them anyway. clearly critical issues. Our response to them will define the future that we will bequeath to our children and grandchildren. Members may speak in either official language. There's interpre‐ tation. You may choose the language you wish to listen to before speaking. Please unmute your microphone. To the witnesses and The strengthened climate plan, introduced by Prime Minister members, please address all your comments and questions through Trudeau and me on December 11, includes new and strengthened the chair. federal measures to not only meet but to exceed our Paris Agree‐ ment target. Welcome, Minister. We also have deputy minister Christine Hogan, and Stuart Parley, director general, financial management directorate and deputy chief financial officer. [Translation] From Parks Canada, we have the president and chief executive The supplementary estimates (C) for 2020‑21 reflect an impor‐ officer, Ron Hallman, and the vice-president, finance directorate, tant part of this work. For Environment and Climate Change Catherine Blanchard. Canada, it amounts to a net increase of $70.7 million that would Minister, you have five minutes for your opening comments. bring the department's total authorities to $2.1 billion. [Translation] [English] Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (Minister of Environment and Cli‐ mate Change): Mr. Chair, members of the committee, I'm happy to meet with you for the fourth time as Minister of Environment and The largest request for $55.1 million supports habitat protection Climate Change to discuss the 2020‑21 supplementary esti‐ measures and direct recovery actions to stabilize populations of the mates (C) for Environment and Climate Change Canada and the central group of southern mountain caribou in British Columbia, Parks Canada Agency. while supporting the livelihoods of workers and their communities. ● (1650) Another request to access $9.2 million in operating funds allows [English] us to continue delivering on the 2019-20 pollution pricing proceeds I am joining you today from North Vancouver, which is on the through the climate action incentive fund. traditional ancestral and unceded territories of the Squamish, the Tsleil-Waututh and the Musqueam first nations. There is support for the continuous operation of the Dr. Neil As the chair noted, I am joined by a number of officials. Trivett Global Atmosphere Watch Observatory in Alert, Nunavut, and a $2.4-million increase will help the department to modernize It was about one year ago tomorrow that I first appeared at this the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. There is al‐ committee as Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the so $1.3 million to maintain shared assets on hydrometric monitor‐ supplementary estimates (B), a day before Parliament shut down ing sites. These advances will be offset by provincial and territorial due to the pandemic. partners. 2 ENVI-17 March 10, 2021 Finally, there are transfers from the Department of Agriculture ral climate solutions. At the committee I'm on, the House of Com‐ and Agri-Food for the greening growth in the agriculture and agri- mons Standing Committee on Natural Resources, department offi‐ food sector, and to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to sup‐ cials and others indicated that there were no plans at that point in port the national climate education proposal from Ocean Wise. time, a year later, to actually facilitate that. As a matter of fact, after [Translation] delving into it somewhat, we found out that they didn't know how they would do that, where they would do that, when they would do And now, Mr. Chair, let's turn to Parks Canada. that or even, after much probing, why they would do that. Last spring, Parks Canada took measures to limit the spread of COVID‑19 by temporarily suspending visitor access and services at You may not be aware, but the forest industry itself plants about national parks, national historic sites and national marine conserva‐ 600 million trees a year—three for every tree it cuts down—so tion areas across the country. Between June and December, Parks about 400 million, if you say are going to be planted.... Your gov‐ Canada gradually reopened sites, allowing over 13.4 million visi‐ ernment's plan doesn't seem to be more than five years' worth of tors to benefit from being outdoors and in nature in a safe and re‐ that. It's going to do this over 10 years. sponsible way. [English] Our forest stock in Canada is about 380 billion trees. Your plan Through the 2020-21 supplementary estimates (C) the Parks for natural environmental solutions amounts to one half of one per Canada Agency is seeking to increase its reference levels to the cent of our carbon storage through trees over the next 10 years. As amount of approximately $54.2 million. Up to $54 million of this a further fact, most of these trees don't start absorbing significant amount will cover the potential shortfall in revenue over the last six carbon until they're at least 10 years old, so you're not accomplish‐ months of the fiscal year from visitation and areas such as the sale ing anything by 2030. of permits and services. There is also a transfer from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to support work related to the federal contaminated Can you square this for any of us, please, about how this con‐ sites action plan. tributes to our country's decarbonization efforts? Finally, there are other adjustments, which do not change the agency's reference level: a $9.3-million internal vote transfer to the ● (1655) new parks and historic sites account and a $10-million internal grant transfer to implement the impact benefit agreements for the Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson: Well, sure, and thank you for the Nahanni National Park Reserve. question. [Translation] Mr. Chair, I'm going to stop here. First of all, I think you probably just need to make sure you're differentiating things. If in fact you're talking about the forestry in‐ I hope this summary provides members with an overview of the dustry, you're talking about planting trees for the purpose of regen‐ 2020‑21 supplementary estimates (C). eration and then effectively cutting them down. The program we I'm happy to take questions now from members of this commit‐ have in place, the two billion trees, is really about planting trees in tee. areas where they essentially will continue to exist for the purpose of carbon sequestration, but also for biodiversity enhancement. The Chair: Thank you, Mr. Minister, and thank you again for being with us this afternoon. We committed to two billion trees. You would have seen that We will begin the first round with Mr. McLean. there was money in the fall economic statement, $3.6 billion start‐ Welcome, Mr. McLean. I hope you enjoy your time with the ing in 2021-22, to plant those trees. There is an expression of inter‐ Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Develop‐ est already out there for the early stage in terms of planting this ment. year and for later stages in terms of ramping that up over time. You have the floor for six minutes. I would tell you that certainly you are correct that the number of Mr. Greg McLean (Calgary Centre, CPC): Thank you, megatonnes in the short term from the trees is not enormous, but by Mr. Chair and distinguished colleagues. 2050, it is quite significant, and there is an enormous co-benefit [English] from a biodiversity perspective in terms of planting trees along seismic lines to protect boreal caribou. In fact, that's part of the As well, welcome, Minister. Thank you very much. I understand work we're doing with the Government of Alberta to protect boreal that you take these hearings very seriously. I appreciate that you're caribou. Absolutely, it's an important part. Canadians want to see here, and I'm glad that I get a chance to ask you some questions. nature-based solutions as part of the way in which we fight climate I'm going to get right into it. change. In the 2019 election, your party, your government, pledged to plant two billion trees as part of its $3-billion effort to deploy natu‐ Mr. Greg McLean: Thank you. I didn't quite follow all that. March 10, 2021 ENVI-17 3 It was $3.16 billion that was actually your budget for this, but the [English] Parliamentary Budget Officer came out immediately thereafter and said that the minimum this is going to cost is $5.94 billion, and Hon.