POW CANADA ATHLETE LOBBY TRIP IN OTTAWA | WE KIND OF CRUSHED IT.
We don’t like to brag, but we kinda crushed it on our recent lobby trip to Ottawa.
First off, we had an allstar delegation including olympians, resorts, business leaders and scientists. Secondly, we had our shiny, new, first-of-it’s-kind Outdoor Recreation Economic Report showing the outdoor industry is one of the largest and most diverse sectors of the Canadian economy.
What did we discuss, you ask? Well that depends on which party we were talking to. All parties will have their own path to meeting Canada’s commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement and we know there’s a federal election around the corner so we used our time effectively. With the Liberals, NDP and Greens we pushed to get some important climate initiatives across the finish line in the final days of this government. With the Conservatives, we put forward some recommendations we believe would align with their values including:
#1. Strengthening Canada’s investment tax incentives to accelerate renewables and other clean technologies, matching or exceeding those in the United States.
#2. Maintain and step up the industrial carbon price and limit the exemptions so it can achieve significant reductions, while providing an incentive for clean energy development.
#3. Limit methane emissions from sectors such as oil and gas, as these are among the lowest-cost reduction measures available in these industries.
It’s fair to say all parties were keen to meet and we believe our messaging resonated across the political spectrum. Our work is non-partisan, science based and aims to ensure Canada meets its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement which is signed by 196 countries including the largest emitters.
Ottawa is the epicenter for political action and we’ll continue to build relationships with all parties to ensure we protect the places and experiences we love from climate change.