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Election results: Green Shift shelved, Turning the Corner still on the table

On October 14, 2008, Canada held a federal election that saw the Conservative Party form another minority government. While the Conservatives gained some seats and the parties traded seats in some ridings, the overall balance of power remains much the same as it was before the election. As a result, while Prime Minister Harper may be "pleased with the strengthened mandate we've received", he will still have to work with the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois to advance his agenda (the Green Party failed to win any seats).

With respect to climate change, the election results mean that the Liberal's Green Shift plan, including a proposed carbon tax, will be shelved for now. The government will likely press ahead with its Turning the Corner plan. It is very likely that the opposition parties will continue to assail the Turning the Corner approach, particularly to the extent that it is based on emissions intensity targets. However, concerns about the economy could mean that the environment will not receive as much attention as it has in recent years.

Alberta's Auditor General critical of province's climate change efforts

Alberta's response to climate change needs to be substantially improved. That is the overall message from the province's Auditor General in a report released on October 2.

The report acknowledges that Alberta has made significant progress in developing programs to deal with climate change. However, the Auditor General expressed concern that the programs are not being implemented in a way that will allow the government to measure the effectiveness of its efforts: "Alberta could spend a lot of money but not achieve emissions targets. Or it could achieve targets, but not cost-effectively."

The Auditor General concluded that the government's management systems should be improved. While the 2008 Strategy sets targets and establishes a vision, it provides an incomplete list of the actions that will be required to achieve the targets and realize the vision. The Auditor General way particularly concerned about the lack of detail regarding how improved conservation and efficiency and the use of alternative fuels would account for 30% of reductions. The government should improve its plan by specifying all the required actions and setting milestone dates for key decisions. However, before finalizing its plan, the government should agree on objective criteria for choosing effective actions. Once the plan is in place, the government should implement a system for tracking overall progress towards its climate change goals. It must improve reporting and ensure that reliable and relevant data is reported to the public. The Auditor General noted in particular that current reporting sometimes obfuscates the difference between reductions in absolute emissions and reductions in emissios intensity.

Hydro One obtains first approval for Bruce transmission line

On September 15, 2008, the Ontario Energy Board ("OEB") conditionally approved Hydro One's application to build a $635 million high-voltage transmission line from Kincardine to Milton. Once built, the line could carry up to 3,000 MW of nuclear and renewable power from the Bruce Peninsula to the power hungry Golden Horseshoe. The project, which would be the most significant transmission infrastructure upgrade in 20 years, would address one of the "orange zones", identified by OPA as having signficiant transmission capacity constraints.

The OEB's decision is the first major approval required before Hydro One can break ground on the project. The decision is conditional upon the project receiving Ontario Environmental Assessment Act approval. Hydro One will also have to secure property rights from owners whose land will be traversed by the transmission line. The line is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2011.