On-going
Way Forward Commitment:
Our government is committed to making progress in addressing climate change. We will release a new Climate Change Action Plan in 2018 and conclude a bilateral agreement with the federal government that will provide for up to $89.4 million in combined provincial investments and federal funding through the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund over the next four fiscal years.
Through strategic investments, our government will collaborate with the federal government, communities, Indigenous governments and organizations, non-profit organizations and the private sector to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while at the same time creating jobs for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
What We’ve Accomplished:
- In December 2017, the Provincial Government released a full progress report on actions undertaken over a five-year period to implement the 2011 Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Action Plans.
- Government undertook a comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation process to inform the development of the new plan. This process included four public in-person sessions, seven virtual sessions using teleconferencing technology, and over 20 stakeholder sessions with industry, municipal, non-profit, youth, academic and Indigenous governments and organizations. Over 200 people attended consultation sessions and 43 individuals and organizations provided written feedback. A What We Heard document summarizing feedback received during the consultation process was released.
- The Province committed $2 million and $1.5 million to the Home Energy Savings Program (HESP) and the Energy Efficiency Loan Program (EELP) in 2018-19. The HESP, which is delivered by the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and is targeted at electrically heated homes, provides up to $5,000 in grant funding for energy efficiency upgrades in low income households. The EELP, which is delivered by Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro through a pay-as-you save program, provides up to $10,000 in low interest financing to purchase and install heat pumps and basement and attic insulation, and/or to have a home energy assessment conducted by a qualified professional.
- In Winter 2018, Government undertook consultations with large industry and Indigenous governments and organizations on the development of regulations to fully implement the Management of Greenhouse Gas Act which was amended in the Fall session of the House of Assembly. Reporting regulations were brought into effect in March 2017 and large industrial facilities started reporting greenhouse gas data to the Provincial Government for the first time. On December 21, 2018, the Management of Greenhouse Gas Regulations under the authority of section 30 of the Act were published in the Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette bringing the remaining sections of the Management of Greenhouse Gas Act into force. At the same time, amendments to the Regulations and Opted-in Facilities Regulations were published in the Gazette. Separately, Revenue Administration Act Regulations to bring the federally mandated carbon tax elements of the system into effect were published in the Gazette on December 28, 2018.
- Given the Federal Government’s requirement that carbon pricing be introduced across Canada, the Province introduced a “made-in-Newfoundland and Labrador” approach to carbon pricing that is consistent with minimum federal requirements, effective January 1, 2019, ensuring that they system was tailored to the Province’s economic, social and fiscal realities, rather than be subject to the Federal system.
- On January 25, 2019, the provincial and federal governments announced the $89.4 million joint funding agreement for the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund (LCELF) to support Newfoundland and Labrador’s climate action programs. This agreement comprises $44.7 million leveraged from the federal government and $44.7 million in matching funding from the Provincial Government. The first two LCELF programs were also launched. These are an expansion of the Home Energy Savings Program to provide grants for energy efficiency upgrades to low-income households on oil heating, and the Energy Efficiency and Fuel Switching in Public Buildings Program to upgrade government-owned and operated buildings.
- On March 1, 2019, the Provincial Government launched its climate change action plan: The Way Forward on Climate Change. The Way Forward on Climate Change contains actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stimulate clean innovation and growth, and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. In order to accomplish this work, the plan contains a total of 45 commitments to action.
- A three year collaborative project between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University, Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador (PEG-NL), Engineers Canada and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador secured $120,000 of funding through Natural Resources Canada’s Adaptation Fund. It will increase capacity among professional engineers, planners, and other professionals to integrate climate change considerations into public infrastructure decisions. The initiative kicked off in March 2018, with a two-day in-person training workshop attended by 75 participants including provincial, municipal and Indigenous representatives, consulting engineers and planners, university faculty and graduate students.
- The Provincial Government is also working to leverage further funding from the Federal Government to advance multi-year projects to build capacity to adapt to climate change impacts across key economic sectors in Newfoundland and Labrador. In September 2018, the Province secured $25,000 from the Federal Government to support this work.
News Releases
Governments Make Good Progress on Climate Change and Air Quality
Public Consultations to Inform Climate Change Action
Over $89 Million in Joint Funding Announced for Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund