The Green Budget Coalition (GBC) released a comprehensive set of strategic recommendations for the 2025 federal budget to address the climate and biodiversity crises while reducing future costs and improving affordability and quality of life for people across Canada. Appearing before the House of Commons Finance Committee, the GBC highlighted the key investments and other fiscal measures required to protect Canadians from climate change and restore ecosystem health.
“Budget 2025 presents an opportunity to invest in the critical infrastructure needed to keep Canadians climate safe while improving economic opportunity,” said Jessica McIlroy, Green Budget Coalition chair and the manager of the Pembina Institute’s Buildings Program, on releasing the Coalition’s Recommendations for Budget 2025.
“Our recommendations reflect the level of ambition required at this time of intersecting crises. All of the actions outlined in this year’s recommendation document provide future benefit and return on investment.”
The GBC advocated for the adoption of these recommendations at the biodiversity and climate-focused international conferences in the fall, and in the federal fall economic statement.
The GBC recommendations address the following key issues:
- Delivering on nature commitments
- Retrofits for resiliency and affordability
- Sustainable Agriculture Strategy: Cultivating success
- Sustainable jobs for workers and communities
- Office of Environmental Justice
Twenty-two of Canada’s largest environmental and conservation organizations form the Green Budget Coalition, from Ducks Unlimited Canada to Greenpeace. Together, these groups have more than a million members and supporters, and decades of experience solving Canada’s biggest environmental challenges.
In addition to these five feature recommendations, the Coalition is advancing a diverse array of interrelated proposals, addressing issues including climate adaptation, electricity, sustainable finance, international climate and biodiversity finance contributions, transportation, a windfall profits tax, and carbon pricing.
“The costs of inaction on climate change and biodiversity loss are mounting day by day,” stats Emily McMillan, executive director of Nature Canada. “The GBC is putting forward the most urgent federal investment opportunities for climate, nature, and affordability that will not just save money in the long run, they will save lives and protect the systems that support life on this planet.”
To read the detailed document, visit: Recommendations for Budget 2025.
About the GBC
The Green Budget Coalition, founded in 1999, brings together 22 leading Canadian environmental and conservation organizations to present an analysis of the most pressing issues regarding environmental sustainability in Canada and to make recommendations to the federal government regarding strategic fiscal and budgetary opportunities.
The Green Budget Coalition’s members are:
Alliance of Canadian Land Trusts, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Canadian Wildlife Federation, David Suzuki Foundation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ecojustice Canada, Ecology Action Centre, Équiterre, Friends of the Earth Canada, Greenpeace Canada, International Conservation Fund of Canada, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Nature Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Pembina Institute, Pollution Probe, West Coast Environmental Law Association, Wildlife Habitat Canada, WWF-Canada, and Y2Y Canada.
Featured image credit: Getty Images
