Wednesday, June 12, 2024

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources has the honour to table its

NINTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy, has, in obedience to the order of reference of Wednesday, May 22, 2024, examined the said subject-matter and now reports as follows:

Bill C-50 seeks to support the creation of sustainable jobs and support workers in the shift to a net-zero economy by, in part, creating a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council and requiring the Government of Canada to publish an action plan for sustainable jobs every five years. Over two meetings, your committee heard 11 witnesses on the subject matter of C-50. Your committee reports the following general comments and observations:

General Comments

Your committee has examined and reported on issues related to the transition to a low-carbon economy for many years and has issued dozens of reports on the interrelated topics of energy, the environment, natural resources and climate change.

In your committee’s work on net-zero, there have been several recurring themes:

First, your committee has always been concerned about the impacts of climate change and global warming on Canadians, on nature, and on the energy and natural resource sectors. The Government of Canada must reverse its decades’ long track record of not meeting its climate targets and work more closely with provincial and territorial governments to align national initiatives.

Second, your committee remains concerned about the justice and fairness of the low carbon transition, especially with respect to Indigenous peoples, to vulnerable populations, to the people and communities at the centre of the low carbon transition, and to all future generations of Canadians.

Third, your committee has tried to balance the three pillars of sustainable development — environment, society and economy — as your committee strove for better outcomes and richer futures for all people in Canada in its deliberations.

Your committee believes that uncertainty about the details of the transition cannot justify either haphazard planning or inaction. The opportunities generated by the net-zero transition in Canada have enormous potential upside benefits, especially through lower global carbon emissions. Throughout the transition, the Government of Canada should be inclusive and prioritize people and communities, while always respecting and upholding section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Observation 1

As one element of the Government of Canada’s overall approach in the transition to a low carbon economy, Bill C-50 could improve coordination and send a clearer signal about the scale, pace and direction of the net-zero transition by making stronger links in its preamble with other federal climate laws, targets and initiatives.

Observation 2

Your committee is concerned that the people and communities that depend on high carbon, transition-affected sectors could risk losing out due to the transition. Jobs in many of Canada’s natural resource sectors pay higher wages than national averages. While some jobs in the low carbon economy will be as good — or better — than those that are available today, not all will be. And there is no assurance that the low carbon jobs of tomorrow will be available to everyone working today in high carbon sectors.

The Government of Canada and other levels of government must listen carefully to these transition-affected communities, especially those affected first and worst by the transition, to tailor their programs and investments in ways that respond to these communities’ priorities, whether for education and skills development, or for other needs.

Observations 3

Your committee heard the importance of skill development, training and retraining of workers for the shift to sustainable jobs, especially for Indigenous peoples, women and other equity seeking groups. Many of these groups have faced systemic barriers that have hindered their full participation in the skill trades labour market. In anticipation of skilled jobs becoming available, the Sustainable Jobs Action Plan, while respecting provincial and territorial jurisdictions, should include clear goals on skill development and training, outlining funding mechanisms and implementation strategies that the federal government will employ to create a diverse, skilled workforce capable of meeting a sustainable jobs future.

Observation 4

While representation for labour unions on the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council is appropriate, most Canadian trades people or skilled workers are not members of a labour union. Therefore, your committee believes that the council should also include specific representation for non-unionized workers.

Observation 5

While Bill C-50 contains some provisions that relate to federal-provincial and federal-territorial coordination and consultation, the bill should further strengthen these aspects to increase the opportunities for national harmonization of efforts, where there are common interests.

Observation 6

While the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council’s terms of reference will be established by the Minister, your committee believes that two focus areas of the council’s work should be:

•Supporting Indigenous peoples, along with rural and remote communities, to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the net-zero transition; and

•Unlocking the scale of investment required across Canada to achieve net-zero by decarbonizing electricity and electrifying high carbon sectors.

Observation 7

Activities related to the creation of green jobs can be done while preserving sustainable jobs in high carbon sectors, especially the oil and gas sector.

Respectfully submitted,