Energy Subsidies in Canada

The GSI program of work for Canada undertakes research and policy engagement on subsidies for fuel consumers and producers at the provincial and national level. It’s key focus is on identifying the scale of subsidie, and strategies for their reform and ultimate removal, in line with Canada’s commitments to the G7 and G20.

Research

Objectives

Reduce expenditure on fossil fuel subsidies that promote unsustainable environmental and social impacts
Reform subsidies to level the playing field for clean energy
Improve the fair social distribution of subsidy expenditure
Build a greater understanding of the scale of subsidies in Canada, and how these subsidies can be better allocated within the economy to benefit economic, environmental and social outcomes

Collaborations

In carrying forward this work the Global Subsidies Initiative has collaborated with a number of organizations including Equiterre, Oil Change International, Environmental Defence and Climate Action Network Canada.

FAQ: Canada

Oil, gas and coal are multi-billion dollar businesses, yet every year fossil fuel companies get billions in tax breaks and handouts. In a world that’s shifting to cleaner sources of energy, those subsidies don’t make sense—especially when they work against the other actions we’re taking to fight climate change.

Reports: Identifying Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies in Canada

July 28, 2022

This policy brief aims to provide decision makers with criteria to better define fossil fuel subsidies in the context of Canada's commitment to phase out these subsidies by 2023.

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Press Release: Canada’s Provinces Provided at Least CAD 2.5 Billion in Fossil Fuel Subsidies Last Year, Undermining Climate Action

February 15, 2022

Provincial governments are still providing billions of dollars to prop up fossil fuels, concludes a new report from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) tallying subsidies in Canada’s four major oil and gas producing provinces.

Reports: Blocking Ambition: Fossil fuel subsidies in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador

February 15, 2022

Canada's four fossil fuel-producing provinces provided CAD 2.5 billion in fossil fuel subsidies in the 2020/21 fiscal year.

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Reports: Finding the Way to Zero: Final report of Climate Action Network Canada’s 2021 workshop series on net-zero

This report captures the outcomes of a series of virtual workshops held by Climate Action Network Canada on the implications of net-zero in Canada.

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Reports: Making Good Green Jobs the Law: How Canada can build on international best practice to advance just transition for all

This report provides recommendations for federal legislation that can advance just transition in Canada.

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Press Release: 23 Leading Canadian Environmental Organizations Release Detailed Proposals for Federal Environmental Action in Budget 2022

November 17, 2021

As Canada's Parliament prepares to reconvene next week, the Green Budget Coalition today issued a comprehensive set of recommendations on how the next federal Budget can meet the challenge of fighting the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Press Release: New report: Canadian governments provided at least CAD 23 billion in support for oil & gas pipelines since 2018

July 8, 2021

Over the past three years, oil and gas pipelines received more than CAD 23 billion in support from Canadian federal and provincial governments, including CAD 10 billion since the COVID-19 pandemic started, reveals a new study released by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).