The Business Council of Canada welcomes the federal government’s announcement regarding its plan to implement carbon pricing in Canada. For many years we have advocated for carbon pricing as the most efficient means to contribute to achieving Canada’s climate change goals.

“We support the price mechanism because it provides the economic incentive for consumers to change their behaviour and for businesses to invest in technologies that progressively reduce their emissions over time,” said Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada.

Climate change is a particularly complex and global environmental challenge. While it is difficult to design measures that can achieve universal support across the country, the carbon pricing policy is an important step toward ensuring that Canada makes a responsible contribution to this challenge.

Importantly, the government’s approach recognizes that money collected through carbon levies needs to go back to businesses and consumers to ensure that Canada’s economy stays strong.

The Council will continue to engage with the federal government as the plan rolls out, to ensure that it remains effective and efficient and to guard against unintended consequences.

“We await in particular the details of how the climate change plan will deal with Canada’s most emissions-intensive and trade-exposed industries, which are engaged in a global battle for market share, often against competitors who will not be subject to comparable carbon prices,” Mr. Hyder said.

“Getting the details right is critical to ensuring that Canadian industries can compete for the talent and investment they need to be leaders in both economic and environmental performance.”

Founded in 1976, the Business Council of Canada is the voice of Canada’s business leaders. The Council is composed of the chief executives and entrepreneurs of 150 leading private-sector enterprises, representing every major industry and all regions of the country. Member companies employ 1.7 million citizens, contribute the largest share of federal corporate taxes, and are responsible for most of Canada’s exports, corporate philanthropy, and private-sector investments in research and development.

Through supply chain partnerships, service contracts and mentoring programs, Business Council members support many hundreds of thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs in communities of all sizes across Canada.