Net-Zero Council

How we get there matters.

As Canada and Canadians move towards a sustainable net-zero future, the business community is leading the way. Businesses have invested in renewable energy, contributed to a greener grid and increased climate action throughout their supply chains. There is much for Canada’s business community to be proud of and for government to support.

Unfortunately, in the absence of close collaboration with the business community, government has struggled to build pathways to zero emissions that are practical and affordable. For Canada to remain competitive in key industries, such as resource development, transportation, technological innovation and manufacturing, a balanced and collaborative approach is required from government.

To ensure Canada’s pathway to net-zero is competitive, enhances investment, creates jobs for Canadians and promotes innovation, how we get there matters. Investments that support business-led transitions, offset market development and a predictable business environment are crucial to meeting these goals. Canada’s business community is eager to lead the development of the net-zero framework to enable the greatest economic opportunity for the next generation.

In all sectors of the Canadian economy, business leaders are stepping up. We understand the economy and the environment should advance in lockstep. Building environmental and economical thinking together is how we can achieve net-zero and increase prosperity for Canadians.

As Canada moves towards a more sustainable net-zero future, the business community is leading the way. To ensure our pathway to net-zero is competitive, enhances investment, creates jobs and promotes innovation, how we get there matters.

Learn more: https://t.co/hQ3sNjRcF0 pic.twitter.com/yiA3Z7vWWp
— Canadian Chamber of Commerce (@CdnChamberofCom) July 21, 2021

In 2022, the Net-Zero Council released a report entitled How We Get There Matters: Establishing a Path to Net-Zero in Canada. This report provides both analysis and recommendations to encourage a timely national debate on priorities and current gaps on how to get to net-zero. The report asserts that Canada’s business community must play a key role in our sustainable future and responds to the federal government’s major climate change initiatives – in particular, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan. Read it now.

The Council

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and its members have a leadership role in making recommendations on climate policy, including carbon pricing regimes, enhancing climate resilience, clean technology adoption and offset market creation. The Canadian Chamber’s Net-Zero Council is dedicated to advancing business leadership on climate change and aims to inform government policy through numerous channels, including through the federal government’s Net-Zero Advisory Body.

The Net-Zero Council meets monthly to support research and advocacy designed to advance Canada’s pathway to net-zero while ensuring that steps are taken to manage the cumulative cost and regulatory impacts on competitiveness.

Membership on the Council is for corporations that have made public declarations to achieve net-zero by 2050. For more information on the Net-Zero Council, please contact David Billedeau, Senior Director Natural Resources, Environment, and Sustainability.

Additional publications and recommendations from the Net-Zero Council will be forthcoming. View the archived work of the campaign A Competitive Net-Zero Strategy, here.

Net-Zero Council Co-Chairs

Heather Chalmers
President and CEO
GE

Matthew Wetmore
National Managing Partner Industry & Regions
PwC

Key Issues

Innovation. Innovation in the private sector is what will deliver both climate action and job creation, but to play this role government and the business community must work together to create a competitive environment for investment.

Collaboration. Partnering with Canada’s energy industry to define net-zero and identify solutions is vital for our shared climate action. Together we can advance a lower emission energy future that fully capitalizes on Canada’s opportunity to benefit from clean technologies and the export of Canadian energy.

Economic opportunity. Achieving net-zero is one thing. A competitive transition is another. Let’s make sure Canada’s approach to net-zero is the greatest economic opportunity for our generation and leverages Canada’s climate leadership and economic strengths.

Industry. An economically competitive pathway to net-zero demands a collaborative partnership that puts the business community in the leadership position to drive the government’s ambitions.

Agriculture. Canadian agriculture feeds the planet. Nobody does sustainability better. Let’s keep that story going by investing in trade enabling infrastructure and supporting agricultural exports so that Canada can continue to be a key contributor to the world’s net-zero solutions.

Transportation. Canada’s transportation leaders are committed to achieving net-zero emissions, but how we get there matters. This means committing to clear policy directions and an agnostic policy framework that recognizes the benefits of electrification of transport in addition to the role biofuels, hydrogen and renewable natural gas can play in driving cost effective decarbonize of other vehicle classes.

Natural resources. Canada’s resource sector – natural gas and oil, mining, forestry – can deliver low-emission energy and other products to meet global needs, while developing new clean technologies that can deliver emission reduction in Canada and abroad. Canadians can and should be proud of our natural resources.

Advocacy / Campaigns /
Net-Zero Council