New Government, Same Emergency
Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada Calls for Bold Action

For Immediate Release: April 29, 2025
Media Contact: Cathy Orlando, 705-929-4043 cathy@citizensclimate.org

Sudbury, ON in Robinson Huron Treaty-Territory — Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada (CCL Canada) congratulates all newly elected and returning Members of Parliament following Monday’s federal election. With the Liberal Party of Canada winning the majority of the popular vote and forming a robust minority government, CCL Canada looks forward to working with all parties to advance effective climate policies.

As a non-partisan organization with nearly 15 years of constructive engagement with provincial and federal lawmakers, CCL Canada remains committed to building the political will for a liveable world.

“Canada is finding our own path forward amidst the relationship breakdown with our historic ally and largest trading partner. It is clear that this path needs to include taking the lead in the fight against climate change,” says Mary Blake Rose, leader of CCL London.

While the election conversation was largely dominated by the Tariff War and affordability concerns, the climate crisis has not disappeared. Canadians continue to feel its effects through wildfires, droughts, and rising insurance premiums, with extreme weather-related disasters causing a record-breaking $8.5 billion in insured losses in 2024.

“As someone born in Fort McMurray with close friends impacted by the Jasper wildfires, we can’t afford to lose sight of the human cost of climate change, even in this tempting moment of economic weakness,” says Mark Taylor, co-leader of CCL Calgary.

The evidence is clear: burning fossil fuels causes one in seven premature deaths globally, and carbon pricing is the most cost-effective way to reduce pollution, protect health, and spur innovation without burdening future generations. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has repeatedly warned that failing to price pollution from fossil fuels risks both missing climate targets and triggering debt crises that could jeopardize social  programs like healthcare leading to privatization and unraveling our publicly-funded healthcare system.

Happily, the policies needed to drive this transition are already within reach. Canada must strengthen its approach by expanding and strengthening both the carbon pricing in the industrial sector and the cap on oil and gas emissions. To remain competitive and address trade-related risks, we must adopt Border Carbon Adjustments. And to safeguard our financial system from climate-related shocks, Canada needs Climate-Aligned Finance regulations that align capital flows with an economically and ecologically-safe future.

“The good news is a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity awaits countries that implement economically sound climate policies and Canada already has the foundation to forge ahead,” says Cathy Orlando, National Director of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada.

The majority of Canadian ridings once again were won by parties with serious plans to cut global warming pollution, but progress remains at risk—making public engagement in climate policy essential. 

CCL Canada’s immediate post-election actions reflect our dual priorities: climate leadership and democratic resilience. Through our G7 At The Table initiative, volunteers will invite their newly elected MPs to share a meal and foster meaningful dialogue ahead of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta (June 15–16), where climate, democracy, debt, human rights, and multilateralism will be key themes discussed at the table.

We have a digital campaign titled Protect Canada’s Democracy urging Parliament to strengthen democracy by protecting elections (similar to Bill C-65), improving whistleblower protections (like Bill C-290), fully implement Act C-70 to counter foreign interference, doubling CBC funding to match the G7 average, and requiring all party leaders to obtain a security clearance, as recommended by the Foreign Interference Commission.

This fall, we’ll return to Parliament Hill for the 26th time as a collective, October 19-21, for our conference and lobbying days titled The People’s Ministry of the Future where we will empower our parliamentarians to champion socially just, evidence-based climate policy. 

Together, we are building bridges across Canada for a better future.