Prime Minister Mark Carney clinched a narrow win against Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party in Canada’s historic election on Monday night, securing a fourth term for the Liberal Party. The election was framed as a fight against U.S. President Donald Trump and his threats against the country—with all other issues falling by the wayside. Even Carney’s climate background wasn’t enough to put climate action on center stage—one recent poll found that climate change wasn’t among the top 10 priorities for Canadian voters.

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It’s a big shift from previous elections. “It doesn’t really seem like this election was a climate change election,” says Jennifer Winter, professor at the school of public policy at the University of Calgary whose research focuses on climate policies. “The two overriding narratives, have been Trump and U.S. tariffs and its effect on Canada, and then the other predominant narrative is cost of living.” But the Liberal Party’s win means that Canada will likely stay the course on many existing environmental policies—including a zero-emission vehicle sales mandate along with clean electricity and fuel regulations. “In most respects, it is a continuation of a slate of policies that were put in place by the Liberal government under Justin Trudeau,” says Kathryn Harrison, professor of political science at the University of British Columbia. Read more: How Mark Carney Won Canada’s Pivotal Election

Carney’s career has often straddled the line between the private sector and the climate fight. He became a U.N. Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance in 2019, and in 2021 launched the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, an initiative aimed at bringing together financial institutions to support the transition to a net-zero economy. His experiences were reflected in many of the Liberal’s campaign proposals, Harrison says. “A couple of the items you see in the platform, [like] that commitment to sustainable investment guidelines, is very consistent with Carney’s work as a special envoy,” she says. Carney, however, has vowed to make Canada “an energy superpower”—both in clean energy, as well as oil and gas. Harrison says the shift comes as Canada is looking to distance itself from importing natural resources from the U.S. “He seemed to be envisioning a pipeline that would serve Canada’s own oil demand, rather than proposing new pipelines to get more of Canada’s oil to the coast or to export it to [other] markets.”

And after first taking office when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down in March, one of Carney’s first moves was to scrap the country’s carbon tax, a divisive climate policy that placed an added fee on consumers using fossil fuels. The initiative was often blamed for rising costs of living in the country—even though 80% of families received more money in rebates than they paid in the tax.

An essential next step for Carney, experts say, will be to find a replacement for the carbon tax. “It opens up the question of if Canada is still going to meet its emissions reduction goals without consumer emissions pricing, and what would replace it,” says Green. “I think this is one of the key things that will be answered in the coming weeks and months after the election.”

Some, meanwhile, believe the government needs to think bigger. Canada wasn’t on track to meet emission reduction standards even with the carbon tax, says Rick Smith, president of the Canadian Climate Institute, who notes that the new leadership could provide momentum for Canada to embrace more ambitious policies. “There’s a number of policies that need to be improved, that need to be added to the table to get the country back on track for the scale of emission reductions that we committed to under the powers agreement,” says Smith. While much debate has focused on the future of the consumer carbon tax, he recommends Canada instead focuses on solutions with greater potential for reducing emissions, like accelerated methane reduction policies or the creation of a national carbon market. “The question needs to be broadened.”

AT A GLANCE

Leading environmental organizations sent questionnaires to federal political parties. The responses received from four of the five main parties are reproduced on this page (one party did not respond). Please note that the parties’ responses are reproduced below exactly as submitted, and have not been edited, translated, assessed or checked for accuracy.

The David Suzuki Foundation is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse or oppose any political party or candidate in elections. We appreciate your commitment to the planet.

We asked the five main federal parties to respond “yes,” “no” or “partial” to our questions, and to provide details. Responses are summarized in the table below. Scroll down to see detailed responses to each question from each party.

Election 2025 was like no other. The snap election was the shortest possible under the Canada Election Act – just 36 days. The incumbent governing party had elected a new leader just two weeks before calling the election. U.S. tariffs and President Trump’s talk of Canada becoming the 51st state loomed large. Pundits saw Canada–U.S. relations as the ballot box issue.

But Trump is not the only existential challenge facing Canada’s new government and all 343 MPs elected on April 28. Climate change and biodiversity loss are accelerating and pose a threat to our lives that is unprecedented and far-reaching.

Last year was the warmest on record and likely the first to pass a critical threshold, as record average global temperatures rose more than 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, beyond which experts predict significant disruption. Canadian communities have not been spared from devastating extreme weather events made worse by climate change. As Canada’s Commissioner for Environment and Sustainable Development told Parliament in 2022, “We cannot afford a fourth decade of failure on climate action.”

Under Canada’s fixed election date law, the next federal election will be held on or before October 15, 2029. The time between now and then — this government’s mandate — is the last chance for reducing carbon emissions and halting and reversing nature loss in the critical second half of this decade.

Under Canada’s fixed election date law, the next federal election will be held on or before October 15, 2029. The time between now and then — this government’s mandate — is the last chance for reducing carbon emissions and halting and reversing nature loss in the critical second half of this decade.

This final sprint to achieve Canada’s 2030 climate and nature targets will require a concerted and collective effort by many. It’s a true “Team Canada” challenge. And, as with our collective efforts to respond to threats from south of the border, the federal government has an essential leadership role: convening others, funding solutions, implementing national environmental policy and regulations and working with high-ambition countries to achieve global results.

Even with other issues dominating, our polling confirmed that most people in Canada expect the new government to put a high priority on combatting climate change and protecting nature. Ahead of the election, four out of five of the major federal parties committed to working to achieve Canada’s emissions reduction obligations under the Paris Agreement on climate change and meet the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework. At the ballot box, the majority voted for a set of priorities that includes climate action and protecting nature.

There’s no time to waste. While existing climate measures are starting to show results — the most recent data show Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions finally trending downward — the country is still not on track to meet Canada’s 2030 climate target, let alone the bolder emissions reductions climate scientist say are needed to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The new government will need to move quickly to close the gap.

We’ll be advocating for decision-makers to prioritize clean electricity projects, not pipelines, and to hold firm on Canada’s commitment to end all fossil fuel subsidies and move swiftly with key regulatory and budgetary measures including finalizing the enhanced methane regulations, investments in nature, banning toxic “forever chemicals” and acting on Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda.

We’ll be advocating for decision-makers to prioritize clean electricity projects, not pipelines, and to hold firm on Canada’s commitment to end all fossil fuel subsidies and move swiftly with key regulatory and budgetary measures including finalizing the enhanced methane regulations, investments in nature, banning toxic “forever chemicals” and acting on Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda. The G7 Leaders’ Summit in June and final round of negotiations toward a plastics treaty in August offer early opportunities for Canada to align with high-ambition countries and drive global progress to protect planetary health.

Supporters sent more than 7,000 letters to the leaders of all major political parties lifting up these environmental priorities as part of the David Suzuki Foundation’s election period letter-writing campaign.

Environmental protection shouldn’t be a partisan issue. We all need clean air and clean water. We all want a healthy environment now and for future generations.

With election 2025 behind us, let’s come together around the environmental values that unite us, and call on our pollical representatives in Ottawa to do the same.

The federal government released Canada’s 2035 emissions target last month — a milestone capping off nearly a decade of climate policy that began with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals winning power in 2015.

The prime minister tied his brand to climate action, putting a dent in Canada’s emissions, starting a transformation in various sectors of the economy and boosting the country’s climate credentials on the international stage. It was a tricky balance in a country with large extractive sectors — oil and gas, mining and logging — sometimes putting Trudeau’s environmental aims at odds with the industries that power Canada’s economy.

Now, as Trudeau prepares to step down and with a new Liberal leader expected to be chosen in the next couple of months, environmental advocates are watching to see what his climate legacy will be.

Under Trudeau, Canada has reduced its emissions by about 8.5 per cent below 2005 levels, a significantly stronger performance than that of the prior Conservative government. It’s still far from the target of a 40 to 45 per cent reduction by 2030, but the government says it shows that its policies are working and that the economy can grow without also adding to pollution.

The federal government’s carbon pricing system, which has been attacked by several provinces and the Opposition Conservatives, has also raised millions of dollars for funds that support clean technology.

And Canada is on the way to establishing new protected spaces, including massive new national parks and marine areas, as part of its promise to protect and restore nature.

But with Parliament prorogued until March 24 and an uncertain leadership change ahead, some of the government’s climate policies are hanging in the balance.

Cutting financing for foreign fossil fuels

Canada, along with the U.K and European Union, has been pushing for an international deal on limiting financing for fossil fuel projects abroad by engaging in negotiations at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to get industrialized countries to stop funding foreign fossil fuel projects.

Near the end of last year, those talks heated up as the outgoing U.S. administration of President Joe Biden threw its support behind a deal. But despite the optimism, negotiations have stalled.

WATCH | Fossil fuel conversation missing at United Nations climate conference: No talk of fossil fuels at COP29 worries climate advocates Duration 2:15 As COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, reach a critical stage, some advocates are worried about the lack of conversation about transitioning away from fossil fuels.

Canada has phased out public financing for foreign fossil fuel projects through government agencies like Export Development Canada. But getting a deal done at the OECD requires all members to sign on — and despite support from the United States and Europe, Turkey and South Korea have held out due to issues related to energy security.

With U.S. president-elect Donald Trump set to take office on Jan. 20, time is running out. Trump has vowed to boost oil drilling and doesn’t seem likely to support a global deal on reducing fossil fuel funding.

“There’s still room for Canada to be a more progressive player on this. Canada signed up to various agreements to end this international public finance for fossil fuels. And although it has made some progress, the government has been stalling on how it’s going to end its domestic fossil fuel subsidies,” said Adam McGibbon, a campaign strategist based in the U.K. with climate advocacy group Oil Change International, which has been closely following the talks.

“But in terms of the international agreement, we don’t expect much more to be done after the [U.S.] inauguration.”

Protecting Canada’s biodiversity

Perhaps Canada’s biggest role in climate diplomacy was hosting the conference of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal in December 2022. The conference led to a global agreement to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and oceans, which is also Ottawa’s own conservation target .

The agreement comes at a time when biodiversity is declining at alarming rates globally, threatening water, food and human health. Canada’s negotiators managed to get a deal done at the last minute, with talks running into the early-morning hours on the last day.

Greenpeace activists hold up signs that read ‘Protect Nature, Protect Life,’ at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December 2022. It led to a global agreement. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

This was followed by Bill C-73, the Nature Accountability Act, introduced in the House of Commons last June to enshrine Canada’s conservation targets into law. The bill is now in limbo as Parliament is prorogued, with time running out before the next federal election.

“We often see governments commit at these international UN conferences, they have showy speeches they give, have big commitments, but that doesn’t actually play out into fundamental change and biodiversity protection on the ground,” said Charlotte Dawe, a government relations and campaign specialist at environmental law group Ecojustice, which is pushing for the nature law.

“And usually that’s because it lacks any legal framework that guides those commitments.”

But with lawmakers distracted by politics and a possible election, Dawe said she isn’t confident the Liberals will be able to pick up and pass the bill in time.

The view from the top of the Mealy Mountains in Labrador. The Akami-Uapishkᵁ-KakKasuak-Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve is included in legislation that would formally establish and finalize the management plan for the protected area. (Submitted by Shane Byrne)

Another piece of legislation that would formally establish and finalize the management plan for two new protected areas is also left in the lurch with the prorogation of Parliament. It includes the Akami-Uapishkᵁ–KakKasuak–Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve in Labrador, a massive area that could also help develop tourism in the territory.

Tackling oil and gas emissions

Oil and gas is the largest emitting sector in Canada — not surprisingly for the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and fifth-largest gas producer. But the sector’s carbon footprint is a challenge if Canada is to hit its emissions targets, even as other sectors such as electricity cut their emissions deeply.

To tackle the issue, the Liberals proposed a cap on emissions from the oil and gas industry that would eventually lead the sector to hit net-zero emissions by 2050. The draft policy was open for comment until Jan. 8 and final rules will be published in the spring — although that’s now uncertain due to the political turmoil in Ottawa.

A flare stack burns off excess gas at a processing facility in Alberta in June 2023. The oil and gas sector’s carbon footprint is a challenge if Canada is to hit its emissions targets. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Caroline Brouillette, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada, said finalizing the cap is essential to securing the federal government’s legacy on the environment.

“I think we need a robust conversation in Canada on what a just transition away from fossil fuels Looks like,” she said. “There’s a kind of vision piece that is needed out there in terms of being honest when it comes to the place of these fuels in a vibrant Canadian economy.”

Brouillette said she hopes to see candidates tackle that tricky question in the coming Liberal leadership race.

Not everyone is pleased with Premier Tim Houston’s announcement this week that he plans to make it easier for resource industries to operate in Nova Scotia.

When Karen McKendry heard Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s comments that “We must take the ‘no’ out of Nova Scotia” and pursue more natural resource development, she had a different interpretation of the premier’s phrasing.

Houston made the comments Wednesday, announcing the provincial government’s shifting focus could include re-examining long-standing bans in Nova Scotia, including on uranium mining, fracking for natural gas and the moratorium on oil and gas exploration on the lucrative fishing grounds of Georges Bank.

McKendry, the wilderness outreach co-ordinator with the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax, said we should keep the Nova in Nova Scotia.

“Nova means New Scotland,” she said. “It means we need to go in new directions and be progressive. And I don’t think there’s anything progressive about revisiting a dead end that we already went down when we looked at uranium mining in the past.”

McKendry said that mining is one of the most polluting industries in the world, and as the world deals with a climate crisis it’s not an industry Nova Scotia should be looking toward.

“When we hear that Nova Scotia’s environmental regulations are the best in the world, they are not, and they are not always followed, so it doesn’t seem like Nova Scotians want to delve more into that and take more of those risks,” she said.

Karen McKendry of the Ecology Action Centre and Sean Kirby of the Mining Association of Nova Scotia had different opinions on the Nova Scotia government’s interest in pursuing more natural resource development. (Dan Jardine/CBC)

McKendry pointed to a mining company that’s fighting the Nova Scotia government in court over how to clean up a site it used to operate.

McKendry said the province should focus on growing natural resource industries such as fishing, farming and forestry and making them “more resilient and more niche and more competitive, as opposed to putting them at risk.”

Sean Kirby, the executive director of the Mining Association of Nova Scotia, echoed the premier’s comments.

“We need to embrace opportunities in this province. And I think that’s really what the premier was getting at when he talked about the importance of taking the no out of Nova Scotia, right?” he said.

“There is huge need globally for uranium and Nova Scotia has potential to provide it. So we should lift the ban and allow exploration for it to start again so we can see whether we’re actually able to have economically viable mines.”

Kirby said the modern mining industry does an excellent job of taking care of the environment and operates with the highest standards.

‘Too much red tape,’ says mining industry

He said more than 3,000 Nova Scotians work in the industry, and said the average compensation is $102,000 per year.

But Kirby said it’s a tough environment to work in, calling the process for getting permits for modern mines and quarries extraordinarily complex.

“Nova Scotia has for many years simply had too much red tape,” he said. “It’s simply been unnecessarily difficult to work in the province and we need the provincial government to help us fix that so that we absolutely are held to the highest standards environmentally and in terms of safety and everything else that’s operational.”

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