Ottawa,
The Government of Canada delivered more
action today on its Turning the Corner Plan
to cut Canada's greenhouse gas emissions
an absolute 20 per cent by 2020.
Canada 's Environment
Minister, John Baird, today launched the
first phase of Canada's Credit for Early
Action Program.
"Many Canadian
companies have already taken the initiative
to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
and we want to recognize that," said
Canada's Environment Minister John Baird.
"This program is one of several mechanisms
designed in our Turning the Corner plan
to tackle climate change."
This program is designed
to recognize Canadian facilities that took
a leadership role in reducing their greenhouse
gas emissions. Many provinces like Quebec
have also asked the federal government to
recognize these reductions. This important
program is a key element of the Turning
the Corner Plan.
Under the Turning the
Corner Plan, big polluters will face mandatory
reductions that require companies to reduce
their emissions. The program we are launching
today will provide a limited number of credits
to those companies who have already taken
action to reduce their emissions. The plan
also includes a carbon market, on which
companies that cut their emissions more
than required will be able to sell credits.
The Credit for Early
Action Program will be available to companies
that took early action to reduce greenhouse
gases between 1992 and 2006 and that will
likely find themselves subject to mandatory
greenhouse gas reductions. Credits will
be available for reductions of any of the
following six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O),
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons
(PFCs), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
The Credit for Early
Action Program will provide a one-time allocation
of credits, up to a maximum of 15 megatonnes
for the entire program. Facilities that
wish to apply for these credits will need
to have their claim verified by a third-party.
As of Saturday, companies can apply to the
Program and have access to submission forms
and guidance documents on the Credit for
Early Action Web site at:http://www.ec.gc.ca/cmap-cea/default.asp?lang=En&n=B148443A-1.
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
