QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
Impact of Climate Change
November 22, 2023
Minister, this past summer was disastrous in terms of forest fires. From coast to coast, thousands of blazes ravaged millions of hectares of woodland. In fact, there were 6,650 fires across the country.
According to government sources I consulted, it is estimated that the cost generated by forest fires is between $3 billion and $4 billion in Quebec alone.
How will your government help support the provinces grappling with this environmental catastrophe? In addition, will you support the provinces financially or help them with reforestation?
Thank you for the question, senator. I’m pleasantly surprised to see that a Conservative senator recognizes the impact climate change is having on Canadian society. These forest fires are unparalleled in our country’s history.
Canada has had a federal disaster assistance fund since 1970, and 75% of this fund’s expenditures have been made in the last six years. There has been a significant increase in the costs associated with natural disasters. The federal government is currently assessing the impact of the forest fires with the provinces and territories, as it is clear that we will be helping them absorb a good portion of the costs caused by these disasters.
We already have the 2 Billion Trees Program, with the goal of planting two billion trees by 2030. We have agreements with several provinces and territories. We don’t have one with Quebec yet, but I’m confident we will soon.
Still on the issue of support for the provinces, you also announced a new program to help Canadians purchase heat pumps. What budget is being used to fund this program, minister? Are funds being syphoned to it off the greener homes program, which supports initiatives by the Government of Quebec, like Rénoclimat? Are these provincial programs being jeopardized because of the new program you announced? Are we robbing Peter to pay Paul?
No, not at all; these programs are being led by Natural Resources Canada, which places them under the leadership of my colleague, Minister Wilkinson.
There are two programs at the Department of Natural Resources. One is the energy retrofit program that you were talking about. It provides grants of up to $5,000 to install a heat pump. The other is a program specifically for heat pumps. The heat pump program, which is very popular in Quebec by the way, is the program that we enhanced, but not by taking funds away from the energy retrofit program.
