The Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act has been a move in the right direction, but there is still more ground to cover to bring about an equitable energy transition that is inclusive and leaves no one behind. Bill C-50 (44-1) received Royal Assent in June 2024, becoming a law in Canada. The purpose of this act is to “facilitate and promote economic growth, the creation of sustainable jobs and support for workers and communities in Canada in the shift to a net-zero economy…” See document here: https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-50/royal-assent
This act requires the federal government to develop additional programs and policies to bring about an equitable economy for all that upholds Indigenous rights and ecological integrity, to align with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Canada’s international climate commitments. This act became a reality thanks to the push from labour, environmental organizations, community leaders, and Flood Parliament organizers, despite the opposition from the Conservative Party, who stalled its implementation when it was first called “The Just Transition Act”.
But there is still more ground to cover: A weakness of the Sustainable Jobs Act is its allowance for “transition” technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) as opportunities for sustainable jobs, despite uncertainties about their effectiveness in decarbonization and emission reductions. This provision enables the fossil fuel industry to continue operating as usual, impeding a fair transition to sustainability. For more information, read this interesting article from The Council of Canadians: https://canadians.org/analysis/sustainable-jobs-act-become-law-now-what/