Turning the Corner: An Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution

On 26 April 2007, the Government of Canada released a plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants from industrial emitters. The Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution is intended to: 1) impose mandatory targets on industry to achieve a goal of an absolute reduction of 150 megatonnes in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020; 2) impose targets on industry so that air pollution from industry is cut in half by 2015; 3) regulate the fuel efficiency of cars and light duty trucks, beginning with the 2011 model year; and 4) strengthen energy efficiency standards for a number of energy-using products, including light bulbs. On March 10, 2008, the government released the final regulatory framework for industrial greenhouse gas emissions which is expected to achieve approximately 165 megatonnes in direct and indirect emission reductions from the industrial sector by 2020, thereby making a significant contribution to achieving the governments national target of an absolute reduction in Canadas total greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 2006 levels by 2020. The final framework sets out industrial emission intensity targets that start out tough and get tougher over time. Existing facilities will be required to reduce emission intensity by 18% from 2006 levels by 2010, and by a further 2% each year after that. Facilities that began operating in 2004 or later will face tougher targets based on cleaner fuels and cleaner technologies. Coal-fired power plants and oil sands plants coming into operation in 2012 or later will face the toughest targets which will effectively require putting in place carbon capture and storage or equivalent technology by 2018. Firms will have access to flexible mechanisms to meet their targets in a cost-effective way. This includes making in-house reductions, taking advantage of domestic emissions trading, offsets, and the Kyoto Protocols Clean Development Mechanism, as well as investing in a technology fund or pre-certified investments drawn from a menu established by the government that will deliver reductions now and in the long term. In addition, firms that reduced their greenhouse gas emissions prior to 2006 will also be rewarded with a one-time credit for early action.

The Government of Canada's Turning the Corner Plan was superseded by a sector-by-sector regulatory approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from major-emitting sectors in Canada.