Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development

Comité permanent de l'environnement et du développement durable

For immediate release

Ottawa, June 18, 2018 -

The Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development today tabled a report on how to accelerate the transition to low emissions buildings in Canada. This is the third unanimous substantive report tabled by the Committee.

The report, entitled Better Buildings for a Low Carbon Future, contains 21 recommendations for the federal government to help Canadians and the building industry smoothly transition to a highly energy-efficient built environment. These recommendations address areas including the national building codes for both new and existing buildings, energy retrofitting of Canada’s existing buildings, building energy efficiency certifications and information tools for Canadians, and federal research and incentives, while recognizing the unique challenges of the Canadian North.

“The buildings sector represents 12% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions” said Ms. Schulte, the Chair of the Committee. “Therefore, energy efficient buildings are key to transitioning to a low carbon future.”

During its study, the Committee was impressed by the leadership of the green building industry and related associations in improving energy efficiency standards and practices in Canada. The Committee also noted the high level of collaboration and cooperation among federal, provincial, and territorial governments, industry associations, and builders. The Committee looks forward to continued improvement in building energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Nonetheless, it expects greater leadership from the federal government, in particular by demanding higher energy efficiency standards for its own buildings and in its procurement practices.

The Committee recommendations found in this report would improve and accelerate the transformation to a more energy-efficient built environment and contribute to Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development for this study consists of 11 MPs. It is chaired by Deborah Schulte (King — Vaughan). The vice chair is the Honourable Ed Fast (Abbotsford). The other members are John Aldag (Cloverdale — Langley City), William Amos (Pontiac), Mike Bossio (Hastings — Lennox and Addington), Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie), Darren Fisher (Dartmouth — Cole Harbour), Joël Godin (Portneuf — Jacques-Cartier), Churence Rogers (Bonavista – Burin - Trinity), Robert Sopuck (Dauphin — Swan River — Neepawa), and Jonathan Wilkinson (North Vancouver).