Green Ribbon Panel Unveils New Policy Recommendations for Green Economic Growth on World Asthma Day

Press Release

May 7, 2024

Report reveals significant progress on majority of Panel recommendations, stresses maintaining momentum key to a decarbonized economy

(Toronto, Ontario) – On a day dedicated to breathing health, the imperative of getting the clean energy transition right is more apparent than ever. Today, World Asthma Day, the Green Ribbon Panel announced its continued work to advance policy recommendations that keep Canadians’ air clean while also supporting economic growth.

“Getting the right policies in place have real and measurable benefits—for the 317 Canadians who will be diagnosed with asthma today—and for all of our health,” said Jeffrey Beach, President & CEO of Asthma Canada. “It was the right public policy environment that enabled the province of Ontario to phase out the use of coal in its electricity grid. On World Asthma Day, I’m pleased to see the Green Ribbon Panel continue to advance these recommendations that will help us all breathe a little easier.”

Launched at an Empire Club of Canada event today in Toronto, the new report, titled Preserving progress and maintaining momentum, provides an update on its 2022 recommendations from the economic and environmental leaders that serve as members of the Green Ribbon Panel.

The update shows that all 10 of the recommendations advanced by the Panel in the 2022 report have seen either significant or some level of corresponding policy response from federal and provincial governments across Canada.

Building on this momentum, the Panel has advanced seven new policy recommendations in this latest report, including that governments must:

• Commit to a carbon-free future that uses a clean energy mix by prioritizing the optimization and extension of existing nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, solar and other clean electricity generation assets, integrating new large-scale energy storage projects to support a decarbonized grid while accelerating projects identified as “no-regret” actions.

• Support Indigenous communities and municipal governments by maintaining provincial Indigenous loan guarantee programs and ensuring that the newly announced federal Indigenous Loan Guarantee program is implemented in a timely and effective manner, while also calling for the establishment of capacity funding programs for communities considering clean energy projects within their jurisdictions.

• Accelerate implementation and extending the application of supportive policies like federal investment tax credits (ITC), while also maintaining a supportive policy environment for manufacturers—particularly in the electric vehicle sector.

“The past two years have seen immense progress when it comes to creating the policy conditions needed to advance a clean economy,” said James Scongack, Chair of the Green Ribbon Panel. “This report demonstrates just how far we’ve come while acknowledging that we can go even farther—especially when it comes to ensuring the building blocks are in place to support foundational clean energy projects that will serve as the backbone of a future clean economy.”

The Green Ribbon Panel was launched in 2020 and has published a series of reports to advance practical and executable solutions for combatting climate change while also spurring economic growth. This 2024 update was supported by the Bruce Power Centre for New Nuclear and Net Zero Partnerships and the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII).

Members of the Green Ribbon Panel:

• James Scongack, Bruce Power
• Jeffrey Beach, Asthma Canada
• Claire Dodds, Bruce County
• Andrew Thiele, Bruce Power Net Zero
• Terry Young, Bruce Power Net Zero, former President & CEO of the Independent Electricity System Operator (Ontario)
• Dennis Darby, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
• Vincent Caron, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
• Mark Fisher, Council of the Great Lakes Region
• Robert Stasko, Hydrogen Business Council
• Jessica Linthorne, Nuclear Innovation Institute
• Daniel Tisch, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
• Claudia Desanti, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
• Cara Clairman, Plug’n Drive
• Chris Hilkene, Pollution Probe
• Steve McAulay, Pollution Probe
• Jeff Parnell, Power Workers’ Union
• John Sprackett, Power Workers’ Union
• Michelle Johnston, Society of United Professionals

IHT4