NEW - Federal: $10 billion growth plan targets jobs and climate change

On October 1, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a plan that would see the Canada Infrastructure Bank investing $10 billion in projects which the government says could create 60,000 jobs and contribute to the fight against climate change.

The Growth Plan will invest in five major initiatives:

• $2.5 billion for clean power to support renewable generation and storage and to transmit clean electricity between provinces, territories, and regions, including to northern and Indigenous communities.
• $2 billion to connect approximately 750,000 homes and small businesses to broadband in underserved communities, so Canadians can better participate in the digital economy.
• $2 billion to invest in large-scale building retrofits to increase energy efficiency and help make communities more sustainable.
• $1.5 billion for agriculture irrigation projects to help the agriculture sector enhance production, strengthen Canada’s food security, and expand export opportunities.
• $1.5 billion to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure so Canadians can have cleaner commutes.

On October 5, CPA President Nathalie St-Pierre wrote to federal Minister of Infrastructure Catherine McKenna noting that low-emission propane, “checks all the boxes” and “is an immediately available excellent energy solution for such applications as back up generation for wind and solar projects, to replace carbon intense fuels for agriculture, irrigation, new building construction and retrofits.”

Specifically regarding transportation, St-Pierre noted the advances in propane engine technology have drastically reduced emissions to near zero, when renewable propane is used, which is why low-emission propane is the world’s most popular alternative fuel for transportation.

As St-Pierre indicated in her letter to Minister McKenna, the CPA is working on arranging meetings with her office to get a better understanding of the Growth Plan and to explain the propane advantage as it applies to several of the initiatives outlined. The CPA anticipates that the funding could be cost shared with provinces as well so outreach to the provincial governments will also be pursued.