QUESTION PERIOD — Natural Resources
Climate Change Adaptation
June 12, 2025
Senator Gold, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development has released three reports on the government’s progress on climate adaptation, species protection and ocean management, highlighting problems of inconsistent planning, insufficient data and lack of concrete actions.
The commissioner’s report on adaptation found that the government is not prioritizing different climate change risks in its climate adaptation strategy. It lacks a process to update it, omits some risks related to human health, such as the spread of Lyme disease, and lacks actions to address others, including wildfires.
Blair Feltmate of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation suggests that the government should consider creating a chief resiliency officer to better lead the adaptation strategy.
Senator Gold, is this something the government will take into serious consideration?
Thank you, senator, for raising these important questions and for underscoring the importance of the need to focus on resilience, because the days of denying climate change are long past us, and it’s something we have to manage for our own safety and security.
It’s important to note that the government has accepted all of the recommendations that the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development made in the National Adaptation Strategy report. As you know — and as I mentioned — the Prime Minister has tasked all of his ministers with identifying how they can contribute to the government’s key priorities, and I have every confidence the minister will carefully consider that suggestion.
Thank you, Senator Gold. In the ocean management report, the commissioner underscored the need for expert planning of marine environments. Planning important nation-building projects like offshore wind development can only be effective if we have the proper knowledge of the marine environment. Will the government accelerate its efforts to fill the knowledge gaps on marine environments in order to make better decisions when building these projects?
Thank you for again noting and underlining that the government has, in fact, accepted the commissioner’s recommendations in the Integrated Oceans Management report. I’ve been advised that Fisheries and Oceans Canada will continue to collect and analyze data and information, and engage with partners and stakeholders in support of sound regulatory decision making. This foundational work will continue to support future opportunities to advance integrated oceans management.
