Government Of Canada And Province Of Nova Scotia Join Forces To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Agreement will help ensure federal buildings in Nova Scotia use 100% clean electricity by 2025

Gatineau, QC /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the environment and working with partners to fight climate change and foster a greener economy.

Today, Sean Fraser, Member of Parliament for Central Nova, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, and the Honourable Derek Mombourquette, Minister of Energy and Mines for the Province of Nova Scotia, signed an agreement to collaborate on the acquisition of renewable electricity to power federally owned facilities in Nova Scotia.

The agreement supports the Government of Canada's commitment to use 100% clean electricity in all federal buildings by 2025. Through the department's Atlantic Clean Energy Initiative, created in June 2018, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is identifying clean electricity solutions for the Government of Canada in the Atlantic Region.

The federal-provincial agreement aims to establish new renewable energy projects through an open, transparent and fair procurement process that will provide additional clean electricity in Nova Scotia for federally owned facilities. The Province of Nova Scotia will put in place an independent third-party procurement administrator who will oversee a competitive bidding process.

In addition to the environmental benefits, the partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia will create regional economic growth and leverage partnerships with local Indigenous Peoples on clean energy solutions. The agreement also provides potential bidders with the opportunity to use surplus federal land, which was once part of the coal mining industry in Cape Breton, for new renewable energy projects to help power federal facilities.

The agreement represents an important step in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity use in federal buildings in Nova Scotia. This includes National Defence buildings such as Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifaxand CFB Greenwood, which currently account for approximately 70% of the federal government's electrical consumption in the province.

PSPC is currently in discussions with stakeholders in the other Atlantic provinces to explore entering into similar partnerships to provide clean electricity for federal buildings.

Quotes

"Our government's collaboration with the Province of Nova Scotia is a great example of how we can work together to achieve goals that help make our environment cleaner and healthier for all Canadians, while building a greener economy. This partnership will ensure a fair rate for the long-term supply of clean electricity for federal buildings, set the stage for a sustainable clean energy model for the future, and leverage partnerships with Indigenous Peoples on clean electricity solutions."

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough
Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

"Nova Scotia is a national leader in fighting climate change. This investment will mean we can add more clean energy to our grid, support jobs, create opportunities for businesses to grow, and protect the environment for future generations."

The Honourable Derek Mombourquette
Minister of Energy and Mines, Province of Nova Scotia

"Canadians expect and deserve a government that will work to fight climate change and invest in a clean economy. Today's investment moves us closer to these goals by increasing the use of renewable energy resources for federally owned buildings located here in Nova Scotia. We are finding solutions to help us achieve our climate objectives, which will lead to a more sustainable future for families across the entire province."

Sean Fraser, Member of Parliament for Central Nova and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada estimates that it will need to procure approximately 100,000 megawatt hours of net-new renewable electricity for its federal buildings in Nova Scotia to achieve its goal of using 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
• In 2016 to 2017, the Atlantic Region (primarily Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) and Alberta accounted for approximately 81% of all greenhouse gas emissions by federal buildings in Canada related to electricity use.
• National Defence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and PSPC account for approximately 90% of the Government of Canada's electrical use in Nova Scotia.
• With over 1,000 buildings in Nova Scotia, this initiative will help lower DND's greenhouse gas emissions in the province by about 67%.

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Backgrounder

Associated links

Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change
Government of Canada's Greening Government Strategy