Chapter Activist writes about ‘climate lens’ for infrastructure funding decisions
2016 December 16, by Chapter Council
Council of Canadians Victoria Chapter member Eric Doherty recently published this article in Ricochet:
Federal government plans to use ‘climate lens’ for infrastructure funding decisions
The federal Liberals will implement a climate test for federal funding of infrastructure projects, according to Jonathan Wilkinson, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and climate change.
Wilkinson, who represents North Vancouver, told the Green Jobs BC conference last week:
What we call a climate lens and green lens will affect decisions with respect to how projects are selected going forward. Certainly the focus for infrastructure spending going forward is going to be much more on matters that are consistent with the climate agenda. … There definitely is a strong preference for public transit over building of new highways, there is no question about that.
But on the question of funding for Via Rail, Wilkinson admitted he didn’t know if improved passenger rail would be part of the government’s climate agenda.