Clean air but less environmental protection in Canada

The Canadian federal government has pledged millions of dollars to its 'clean air agenda' to boost Canada's environmental reputation on the world stage.

However, the government have also dramatically decreased funding to clean up industrial development projects, according to estimates tabled Tuesday in the House of Commons. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, which is responsible for ensuring industrial projects do not harm natural ecosystems, is expected to see its funding reduced by 43 per cent.

The Canadian government has been criticised for lobbying for industrial groups in recent environmental talks, with natural reserves in Alberta taking precedence over environmental issues. The spending cut will not be well received among those who believe the environment is been sacrificed for these short-term economic advantages.

Gillian McEachern, deputy campaign director at Environmental Defence, a Toronto-based conservation group said: "At this stage, without knowing what that money is intended for, it's hard to know the impact that it will have.

"If it means the government is going to beef up efforts to put in place rules around greenhouse-gas emissions than that's a positive step. If it means the government is going to use it to beef up its ongoing public relations campaign in Europe and the US to try to convince other countries that Canada's tarsands are being cleaned up than that's a bad investment for taxpayers."

Posted by Joseph Hutton