PLATFORM SNAPSHOT - ELECTION 2019 COMPANY NAME - Canadian Paediatric Society
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PLATFORM SNAPSHOT ELECTION 2019 COMPANY NAME
The following is an overview of party platform commitments of particular relevance to the health and well-
being of children and youth in Canada. The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) is a non-partisan organization
and does not endorse any particular party or policy below. This document is not a complete representation of
party platforms and is designed only to be a resource to help CPS members more easily learn about policy
commitments that have been made on issues of interest. Commitments from the other major national parties
will be added as soon as possible after public release.
Content is all sourced directly from the following party platforms:
A New Deal for People: New Democrats’ Commitments to You
Green Party of Canada Election Platform 2019
Forward: A Real Plan for the Middle Class
Andrew Scheer’s Plan For You to Get Ahead
PHARMACARE
NDP Commitments
New Democrats are fighting for a national, universal public pharmacare program to make sure that all
Canadians can access the prescription medicine they need
We are leading the fight to expand Medicare – to include quality prescription drug coverage for
everyone, regardless of your job, where you live, your age, your health status or how much money you
make. We will begin working with the provinces right away to target a late 2020 start date, with an
annual federal investment of $10 billion.
That means access to necessary medicines in the same way that we have access to medical and
hospital care – free at the point of care, financed by a public insurance system that covers everyone. It
means that you’ll need your health care – not your credit card – at the pharmacy. And it puts an end to
costly co-payments, deductibles, and premiums that cost families hundreds and even thousands a
year.
New Democrats will fight for public healthcare and stand up to privatization that costs Canadians
money and undermines our public healthcare system
Our plan for public, universal pharmacare will save businesses approximately $600 per employee with
extended health benefits every year
Green Party Commitments
The Green Party supports the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on Health to expand
the Canada Health Act to include prescription drugs dispensed outside of a hospital. Universal
Pharmacare is the best way to accomplish both life-saving and cost-cutting goals.
Expand the single-payer Medicare model to include Pharmacare for all and dental care for low-
income Canadians
Create a bulk drug purchasing agency and reduce drug patent protection periods
Liberal Party Commitments
We will invest an additional down payment of $6 billion over the next four years to support a stronger
Medicare and public health system […] negotiated in collaboration with provinces and territories that
Canadians will see transparently reported and tracked.
Last updated October 15, 2019 2 Through these negotiations we will […] implement national pharmacare, guided by the
recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare.
Guided by the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare, we will:
o Establish the Canada Drug Agency to make drug purchasing more effective and efficient
o Implement a national formulary with provinces, territories and other stakeholders in
order to further lower drug prices, and
o Implement a rare disease drug strategy to help Canadian families save money on high-
cost drugs
[…] we will move forward and work with provinces and territories to make sure that sexual and
reproductive health medications are covered under national pharmacare.
Conservative Party Commitments
Pharmacare is not mentioned in the CPC platform. According to CBC analysis, Conservatives have “dismissed
pharmacare and would instead focus on those not covered provincially or at work”.
To ensure that Canadians with rare diseases have access to the drugs they need, we will work closely
with provinces and territories, the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders, and other rare disease
groups to implement a strategy that will encourage more orphan drugs to be developed in and
brought to Canada, improve early detection of rare diseases and evidence-informed care, and
promote innovative research. We will also maintain the $500 million per year commitment and work
with provinces to ensure that Canadians with rare diseases have the access to treatments that they
need.
FIREARMS
NDP Commitments
Too many lives have been lost in Canadian cities to rising gun crime. We will work to keep assault
weapons and illegal handguns off our streets, and to tackle gun smuggling and organized crime.
New Democrats will make sure that communities have access to funding for anti-gang projects that
help deter at-risk youth from joining gangs.
We’ll address radicalization by focusing on preventing youth from falling prey to violent extremism,
including through support for community-led initiatives.
Green Party Commitments
Ensure illegal handguns are intercepted and kept out of our cities.
Redirect Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) resources to weapon smuggling and reduce pursuit of
people living in Canada without proper residency, but who are otherwise law-abiding.
Launch a confidential buyback program for handguns and assault weapons.
Liberal Party Commitments
We will ban all military-style assault rifles, including the AR-15. These weapons are specifically
designed to inflict mass human casualties and have no place in Canadian society.
Last updated October 15, 2019 3 We will initiative a buyback program for all assault rifles legally purchased. Owners will be offered
fair market prices for their weapons. We will also give law enforcement agencies the resources they
need to properly administer the buyback program;
o A two-year amnesty will be put in place while the program is being set up
We will work with the provinces and territories to give municipalities the ability to further restrict –
or ban – handguns.
We will protect the rights of law-abiding hunters and pledge not to bring back the long-gun registry.
To crack down on gun crime and make our communities safer places to live, we will:
o continue to fight gang-related violence, by investing an addition $50 million each year, for
five years, in a dedicated funding stream to help municipalities meet the needs of
communities at risk;
o work to expand successful diversion programs to keep at-risk youth out of the criminal
justice system;
o make sure the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
have the resources they need to detect and stop the flow of weapons at our borders;
o require everyone importing ammunition to show proof of a valid firearms license
o make it harder for legal weapons to get into the hands of criminals by further
strengthening safe-storage laws
o address the problem of gender-based and intimate-partner violence head-on, by working
with provincial and territorial partners to introduce legislation that would temporarily
suspend firearms licenses to people who are suspected of posing a danger to themselves
or others – including their partners or kids;
o introduce a system for flagging bulk purchases of guns;
o strengthen penalties for people seeking to smuggle firearms into Canada;
o limit the glorification of violence, by creating regulations that impact the way firearms are
advertised, marketed and sold in Canada.
Conservative Party Commitments
To support lawful firearms owners, we will repeal Bill C-71.
To make sure smuggled firearms do not end up [on] our streets, we will make the knowing possession
of a smuggled firearm a criminal offence with a mandatory sentence of five years in prison. At
present, most gun crimes are committed with smuggled guns and possession of a smuggled firearm is
not a specific offence.
To intercept smuggled guns at the border, we will create a CBSA task force to work with local law
enforcement on both sides of the border to crack down on smuggled guns.
To make sure firearms do not fall in the hands of criminals, we will make it a crime to provide a
firearm to anyone who is under a firearms prohibition order. Anyone caught giving a gun to someone
who has been prohibited from owning one will face up to 14 years in prison.
To strengthen background checks for gun licences, we will ensure that the RCMP conducts reference
checks and follows up with references.
To solve gang crimes and keep our streets safe, we will implement better information sharing
processes to ensure that different police forces can more easily cooperate with each other and with
the RCMP to track illegal firearms used in crimes.
To further support local law enforcement, a new Conservative government will provide $60 million
over five years to fund anti-gang task forces.
Last updated October 15, 2019 4 To prevent Canada’s youth from joining gangs, we will provide an addition $12 million over five years
to the Youth Gang Prevention Fund. This 25 per cent increase to the programs will help our children
stay out of a life of crime.
HEALTHCARE
NDP Commitments
New Democrats believe that the federal government has a critical role to play in upholding and
enforcing the Canada Health Act, especially against the creeping threat of privatization and user fees.
We will act immediately to prevent the sale of blood products and to make sure that people can access
abortion in all regions of the country.
A New Democrat government will work with the provinces and territories to tackle wait times and
improve access to primary care across the country. We will identify coming gaps in health human
resources and make a plan to recruit and retain the doctors, nurses, and other health professionals
Canadians need.
A New Democratic government will step up and regulate natural health products under stand-alone
legislation.
A New Democratic government will work together with provincial partners, health professionals and
dentists to develop a roadmap to including dental care in the Canada Health Act.
A New Democrat government will […] fully implement Jordan’s Principle, working with the provinces
and territories to end the delays and ensure equitable access to health services and educational
supports for Indigenous children from coast to coast to coast.
Mak[e] the investments required to ensure clean water and lift all drinking water advisors for good by
2021.
We will make sure that people can get the treatment they need in their community through
investments in Indigenous health care infrastructure and diagnostic equipment.
New Democrats will enforce the Canada Health Act to make sure that the provinces make medical
and surgical abortion available in all parts of the country, without barriers.
We will also ensure that a full range of prescription contraceptive and reproductive health care
option are easily accessible at no cost through Medicare and our national pharmacare program.
We will work in partnership with Indigenous communities to improve access to mental health and
addiction treatment services – including an evidence-based action plan to prevent suicide, backed by
dedicated federal resources, fully implementing the New Democrat motion on suicide prevention
passed by the House of Commons.
Green Party Commitments
End drinking water and boil water advisories by investing and upgrading critical infrastructure to
ensure safe water access in every community.
Devote sufficient resources for maternal and infant care, mental health services and treatment for
diabetes and tuberculosis.
Sustain the Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative to continue capacity building in the health
care profession for Indigenous communities.
The Green Party is committed to the principles and requirements of the Canada Health Act and to
extending that model to other aspects of health care. Respecting these principles, we support
Last updated October 15, 2019 5innovation in the delivery of these services to better meet the changing needs of Canadians. We will
work to ensure that every Canadian has a family doctor and that primary care is centered on the
patient and is sensitive to issues of social justice, equity and cultural appropriateness.
Restore the federal/provincial Health Accord, basing health transfers on demographics and real health
care needs in each province, replacing the current formula based on GDP growth […]
Negotiate the Canada Health Accord to prioritize expansion of mental health and rehabilitation
services, reduction in wait times, access to safe abortion services and access to gender-affirming
health services such as hormones, blockers and surgery.
Uphold Jordan’s Principle in full, ensuring Indigenous People receive the health care they need
without being delayed by bureaucratic disagreements over jurisdiction.
Implement Calls to Action 18-24 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, improving health care
for Indigenous Peoples.
Reorient Health Canada’s mandate towards mental health and addictions, health promotion and
disease prevention, and the health risks of climate change.
Address the opioid crisis as a health-care issue, not a criminal issue, by declaring a national health
emergency.
Drug possession should be decriminalized, ensuring people have access to a screened supply and the
medical support they need to combat their addictions. Increase funding to community-based
organizations to test drugs and make Naloxone kits widely available to treat overdoses.
Establish a mental health strategy and a suicide prevention strategy […]
Protect our public blood system by prohibiting for-profit blood collection services and removing
barriers to blood donations not based on science.
We affirm that all young people deserve access to safe and comprehensive sex education based on a
thorough understanding of diverse sexualities, diverse genders, intersex biology and informed consent.
Establish a funding program within Health Canada to support community-based organizations offering
targeted LGBTQI2+ youth’s mental health and well-being programs, including suicide prevention, peer
support, coming out, and counselling.
Liberal Party Commitments
A re-elected Liberal government will strengthen the public health care system so that every Canadian
can count on access to a family doctor or primary health care team, mental health services when
they need them, and affordable prescription drugs.
We will work in partnership with the provinces and territories to strengthen Medicare, reduce wait
times, and improve health outcomes for all.
To ensure Canadians are getting the care they need, we will strengthen the Canada Health Act to make
sure the full range of mental health services required by Canadians are available in every province
and territory, introduce new accountability standards so that Canadians can know what to expect
from the public health system when they need it, and continue to crack down on private delivery and
extra billing.
We will move forward with more help for […] family caregivers by immediately doubling the Child
Disability Benefit. This tax-free monthly benefit helps children whose impairment is severe, and
prolonged by certain conditions such as learning and speech disabilities, psychological disorders and
autism spectrum disorder, among others. This increased benefit would give families of a child with a
disability more than $2,800 in extra help right away, with up to $5,664 in total finance support
available each year.
Last updated October 15, 2019 6 [W]e will move forward with investing an additional $30 million next year in pediatric cancer
research. We will also work closely with families, experts, and researchers over the next year to
develop a long-term plan to ensure pediatric cancer research has the funding it needs to be
sustainable and to help families when they need help most.
To help more people access the addiction treatment services they need, we will move forward with
new investments that help provinces and territories expand community-based services, build more in-
patient rehab beds, and scale up the most effective programs – such as extending hours for InSite
and other safe consumption sites.
We will protect a woman’s right to make decisions about her body, and make family planning and
sexual and reproductive health care more accessible and affordable.
We believe that women have the right to make all decisions about their bodies – full stop. That is why
we will always protect a woman’s right to access an abortion should she make that choice.
We will:
o Work with the Canadian Institutions of Health Research to integrate sex and gender-based
analyses, as well as diversity analyses, to ensure research takes diversity factors into
account to improve women’s health care; and
o Create a National Institute for Women’s Health Research, the first of its kind in Canada.
The Institute would bring together experts in women’s health from across the country to
tackle persistent gaps in research and care – taking an intersectional approach that
includes race, ability, indigeneity and more.
To support LGBTQ2 people in need, earlier this year we launched a pan-Canadian, 24/7 mental health
crisis hotline. To ensure that the community continues to be well-served by hotlines and other support
services, we will move forward with an additional investment of $2 million a year to continue this
work, including support lines that provide sexual education.
We are committed to eliminating the [blood] ban altogether, and will move forward in partnership
with Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec to support the implementation of a behaviour-based
model that eliminates the ban once and for all.
We will eliminate all long-term drinking water advisories on reserve by 2021, and continue to take
steps to ensure water stay safe to drink.
We will ensure that Indigenous Peoples have access to the high-quality, culturally relevant health
care and mental health services they need.
To move forward with making high-quality health care a reality for all Indigenous Peoples, we will co-
develop distinctions-based Indigenous Health legislation – backed with the investments needed to
deliver this care – and will continue to work with Indigenous communities to ensure Indigenous
control over the development and delivery of services.
We will continue to move forward to advance the priorities identified by Inuit, by:
o Co-developing distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation – backed with investments
needed to deliver this care – and on the development and delivery of services for Inuit.
o Continuing to work with Inuit to improve food security in Inuit Nunangat, including the
implementation of the Harvester Support Grant.
Conservative Party Commitments
To move forward on reconciliation, we will continue to support efforts to end long-term boil-water
advisories […]
To realize our vision to have recovery be the goal of substance abuse policy, we will invest in recovery
community centres, recovery high schools, and treatment centres.
Last updated October 15, 2019 7 To empower Canadians, especially young Canadians, to live a drug-free life, we will launch a national
education campaign focusing on the dangers of drug use and the benefits of staying drug free.
To reduce wait times for life-saving tests and ensure timely access to medical imaging test, a new
Conservative government will invest $1.5 billion in its first term to purchase MRI machines and CT
machines to replace aging equipment and add new machines across the country.
To guarantee quality health and social programs, a new Conservative government will maintain and
increase funding to the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer according to the
current formula.
We will also maintain the additional Shared Health Priorities funding for mental health and home care
for provinces.
[…] we will work with autism stakeholders to develop a National Autism Strategy. An initial
investment of $50 million over five years will be used to develop a comprehensive strategy in
consultation with autism stakeholders and other levels of government, including Indigenous
communities, that will be person-centered, include first-person perspectives, will be culturally
appropriate, and will reflect regional needs, especially in norther, rural, and remote communities.
POVERTY
NDP Commitments
To help tackle the unacceptable rate of poverty among Canadians living with disability, we will launch
a full review of income security programs.
Better access to mental health and addictions support will […] form a key part of our approach to
tackling poverty.
New Democrats will work with the provinces to launch a national basic income pilot project.
Developing a national, public, universal child care program is also critical for lifting women and their
families out of poverty, and an important way to give all kids a good start in early learning.
A national school nutrition program will make sure that no child enters their classroom hungry.
New Democrats will ensure that a reformed Nutrition North program is able to better respond to the
needs of Northern families, to put an end to chronic food insecurity in the North
Green Party Commitments
Establish a universal Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) program to replace the current array of income
supports […]. Building on the [Market Basket Measure], payment would be set at a “livable” level for
different regions of the country.
Establish the federal minimum wage of $15 per hour.
Work with the Council of Canadian Governments and Statistics Canada to set municipal minimum
wages in accordance with the differential costs of living across the country.
Greens will appoint a federal Children’s Advocate to ensure that children’s rights are protected.
A Green government will collaborate with provinces/territories, local communities, Indigenous
communities and the child-care sector to ensure that a comprehensive short-, medium- and long-
term policy road map [to universal child care] – based on the principles of universality, affordability,
quality, inclusivity and equity – finally becomes a reality.
A Green Party government will follow the example of Quebec and other countries, improving and
strengthening maternity/parental leave by making it more inclusive, more flexible and better paid.
Last updated October 15, 2019 8 A Green Party government will immediately begin to ramp up federal child care funding to achieve the
international benchmark of at least one per cent of GDP annually, adding an additional $1 billion each
year until this benchmark is reached with a mature [early learning and child-care] system.
Liberal Party Commitments
A re-elected Liberal government will make sure new parents receive more help right now by:
o Giving families up to $1,000 more to help when the costs of raising kids are highest, by
increasing the Canada Child Benefit by 15 per cent for kids under the age of one.
o Making sure families get more money right away, by making maternity and parental
benefits tax-exempt at source. This means that no federal taxes are taken off from the
Employment insurance cheque when new parents receive it.
A re-elected Liberal government will work to establish a Guaranteed Paid Family leave – an ambitious
program that will make sure that parents who don’t qualify for paid leave through E.I. or who don’t get
enough, because they’re between jobs, earn little, or haven’t worked enough hours, will receive a
guaranteed income during the first year of their child’s life. […] Launching in 2021, this new program
will provide a simpler, more generous, and accessible way for Canadians to get the time and money
they need to help raise their kids in the first year.
As a part of this process we will ensure that Guaranteed Paid Family Leave is integrated effectively
with Quebec’s provincial parental benefits system, which the province will continue to run itself. These
measures are projected to cost approximately $800 million in 2020-21 rising to $1.2 billion in 2023-24.
A re-elected Liberal government will help parents with elementary school kids by doing the following:
o We will create up to 250,000 more before and after school spaces for kids under the age
of ten;
o We will lower parents’ fees by ten per cent across the country;
o We will dedicate a target of ten per cent of the new spaces to provide more child care
options for parents who work overtime, late shifts, or multiple jobs so they can count on
help when they need it most;
o We will do this by nearly doubling the federal support we provide to the provinces and
territories through the Early Learning and Child Care Framework, investing at least $535
million more each year.
We will make sure that people don’t pay federal taxes on the first $15,000 they earn.
We will move forward with the new federal labour code protections, including […] a federal minimum
wage of $15 per hour, starting in 2020 and rising with inflation, with provisions to ensure that where
provincial or territorial minimum wages are higher, that wage will prevail
Conservative Party Commitments
To support all Canadians, we will reduce the tax rate on income under $47,630 from 15 per cent to
13.75 per cent. We will begin by reducing the rate to 14.5 per cent on January 1, 2021, then to 14 per
cent on January 1, 2022 and to 13.75 per cent on January 1, 2023.
To provide much-needed relief for transit users, we will introduce a credit for the purchase of public
transit passes. The credit will apply to transit passes that allow for unlimited travel within Canada on
local buses, streetcars, subways, commuter trains, and ferries. Some electronic fare cards, including
Presto cards on GO Transit, and weekly passes will be eligible as well if they are used on an ongoing
basis. Those passes would require a minimum of 16 round trips in a 31-day period.
Last updated October 15, 2019 9 To give more Canadians with disabilities access to financial support, we will reduce the number of
hours required to qualify for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and the Registered Disability Savings
Plan from 14 to 10 hours per week.
To make sure new parents spend less time worrying about their bottom line, we will remove federal
income tax from EI maternity and EI parental benefits by providing a tax credit for any income
earned under these two programs. We will also ensure that the government applies the savings from
the tax credit up front so new parents can receive tax relief when they need it most. A tax credit of the
same amount will be provided for residents in Quebec who receive benefits under the Quebec
Parental Insurance Plan.
To make adoption more affordable for adoptive parents, we will introduce a 15-week EI adoption
leave modelled on the EI maternity leave. We will make income received under this leave tax-free,
just like EI maternity and EI parental. We will also increase the Adopted Expense Tax Credit to $20,000
and make it refundable.
To make kids’ activities more affordable for parents, we will allow parents to claim up to $1,000 per
child, per year, for expenses related to sports and fitness programs. Parents of children with
disabilities can claim an additional $500 per child, per year.
To make kids’ extracurricular activities more affordable for parents, we will allow parents to claim up
to $500 per child, each year, for expenses related to arts and learning activities. Parents of children
with disabilities can claim double the amount, up to $1,000 per child, per year.
To help parents afford to send their children to university, college, or trade school, we will increase
the government’s contribution to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) from 20 per cent to 30
per cent for every dollar invested, up to $2,500 per year. This change will increase the maximum
annual grant from $500 to $750. A new Conservative government will also increase the maximum
lifetime grant from $7,500 to $12,000 per child.
HOUSING
NDP Commitments
A New Democrat government will create 500,000 units of quality, affordable housing in the next ten
years, with half of that done within five years. This will be achieved with the right mix of effective
measures that work in partnership with provinces and municipalities, build capacity for social,
community and affordable housing providers and co-ops, and meet environmental energy efficiency
goals.
Our federal investment will begin with $5 billion in additional funding in the first year and a half of a
New Democrat government.
In order to kick-start the construction of co-ops, social and non-profit housing, we will set up dedicated
fast-start funds to streamline the application process and help communities get the expertise and
assistance they need to get projects off the ground.
We will also spur the construction of affordable homes by waiving the federal portion of the GST/HST
on the construction of new affordable rental units – a simple change that will help get new units built
faster and keep them affordable for the long term.
We will re-introduce 30-year terms to CMHC insured mortgages on entry-level homes for first time
home buyers. This will allow for smaller monthly payments, freeing up funds to help make ends meet
for young families. We’ll also give people a hand with closing costs by doubling the Home Buyer’s Tax
Credit to $1,500.
Last updated October 15, 2019 10 To help put an end to speculation that’s fuelling high housing prices, we’ll put in place a Foreign
Buyer’s tax on the sale of homes to individuals who aren’t Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
New Democrats will also fight money laundering, which fuels organized crime and drives up housing
prices.
A core component of our approach is enshrining the right to housing in law, and starting work now
with a goal of ending homelessness in Canada within a decade.
New Democrats will address the Indigenous housing crisis and put an end to chronic overcrowding and
long-wait lists by working with Indigenous communities to implement co-developed First Nations,
Métis and Inuit housing strategies. These innovative, ground-up strategies will mean sustainable and
dedicated funding to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples, whether in urban, rural or remote
communities.
We believe that the federal government must immediately step up to tackle the mould crisis affecting
tens of thousands of homes and provide support for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to ensure
that their homes are safe and healthy.
Green Party Commitments
Prioritize high quality safe and affordable housing, particularly in the north, and ensure an equitable
distribution of resources for energy efficiency retrofits.
Legislate housing as a legally protected fundamental human right for all Canadians and permanent
residents.
Appoint a Minister of Housing to strengthen the National Housing Strategy so that it meets the needs
for affordable housing that are unique to each province, and oversee its implementation in
collaboration with provincial ministers. […] The target would be 25,000 new and 15,000 rehabilitated
units annually for the next 10 years.
Increase the National Housing Co-investment Fund by $750 million for new builds, and the Canada
Housing Benefit by $750 million for rent assistance for 125,000 households.
Create a Canada Co-op Housing Strategy that would update the mechanisms for financing co-op
housing, in partnership with CMHC, co-op societies, credit unions and other lenders.
Eliminate the first-time home buyer grant.
Restore tax incentives for building purpose-built rental housing and provide tax credits for gifts of
lands, or of land and buildings, to community land trusts to provide affordable housing.
Liberal Party Commitments
The Liberals’ $55-billion [National Housing Strategy] aims to build 100,000 affordable housing units
over a decade and includes a first-time home-buyer incentive that subsidizes up to 10 per cent of a
new home purchase and 5 per cent on resale homes – with restrictions.
Liberals are promises to loosen those restrictions in expensive markets – and impose a one per cent
surtax on absentee foreign owners.
We will move forward with the new First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, which gives people up to 10 per
cent off the purchase price of their first home.
We will co-develop and invest in distinctions-based community infrastructure plans, and will move
forward with addressing critical infrastructure needs – such as housing, all-weather roads, high-speed
internet, health facilities, treatment centres and schools – in First Nations, Inuit and Métis
communities by 2030.
Last updated October 15, 2019 11Conservative Party Commitments
To help you keep more of your hard-earned money, we will take the GST off all home energy –
electricity, natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood pellets, and other heating sources – for primary
residences.
To ensure Canadians are not unnecessarily prevented from accessing a mortgage, we will fix the
mortgage stress test. […] We will work with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions
(OSFI) to remove the stress test from mortgage renewals.
To lower monthly mortgage payments and afford home buyers a lower barrier to entry to the housing
market, we will extend the maximum amortization period on insured mortgages for first-time home
buyers to 30 years.
To root out the corrupt activities that drive up real estate prices and put home ownership out of reach,
we will launch a public inquiry into money laundering that will provide recommendations for an
action plan to crack down on this activity.
To increase the supply of housing, we will make surplus federal real estate available. To do this we
will review the federal government’s extensive real estate portfolio of 38,000 buildings. We will also
immediately reinvigorate the Federal Lands Initiative. We will also look at ways that federal
infrastructure investments can be leveraged to encourage housing supply.
To empower municipalities to build more homes, a new Conservative government will introduce the
Build More Homes Competition. This competition will reward municipalities that have proven to
reduce red tape that stands in the way of new home construction.
CLIMATE ACTION
NDP Commitments
A New Democrat government will declare a climate emergency and put in place ambitious,
science-based greenhouse gas reductions targets that will help stabilize the global temperature
rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We’ll put these targets in legislation and ensure accountability by
creating an independent Climate Accountability Office to do regular audits of progress towards
our climate goals.
We will continue carbon pricing, including rebates to households that fall under the federal
backstop.
We will lead by example and procure from Canadian companies producing clean technology,
ensure that federal buildings use renewable energy, and move the vehicle fleets of the federal
government to electric by 2025.
New Democrats will set a target to power Canada with net carbon-free electricity by 2030, and
move to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2050. To drive this progress, we will establish a new
Canadian Climate Bank. This bank will help boost investment in renewable energy, energy
efficiency, and low carbon technology across the country. It will also provide support for interested
provinces to inter-connect power grids and introduce smart grid technology, to bolster Canada’s
energy security and distribute clean power across the country.
We will fulfill Canada’s G-20 commitment to eliminate […] fossil fuel subsidies and redirect these
funds to low carbon initiatives.
It’s time to enshrine in law the right to a healthy environment. Our federal Environmental Bill of
Rights will ensure that all communities can enjoy a guarantee to clean water, land and air. New
Last updated October 15, 2019 12Democrats will also better protect Canadians from toxic substances in everyday products like
cosmetics, through a strengthened Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
A New Democrat government will:
o ban single-use plastics across Canada, and hold companies responsible for the entire
lifecycle of their plastics products and packaging.
o protect 30% of our land, freshwater and oceans by 2030 and back those protections with
funding and enforcement.
o work to reduce emissions from shipping and fishing, prevent ocean acidification, and
preserve ocean biodiversity by expanding marine protected areas.
o implement a national freshwater strategy and work with the provinces and territories to
protect our waterways under international agreements.
o expand federal funding to respond to disasters, and support communities in proactively
adapting their infrastructure to withstand floods, forest fires and other extreme weather
events.
Leader Jagmeet Singh has said he would give provinces veto power over national infrastructure
projects that run through them, including pipelines.
Green Party Commitments
A Green government will pass into law a Climate Change Act requiring a 60 per cent cut in climate-
changing emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, reaching net zero in 2050. Interim targets would be
set at five-year intervals beginning with 2025.
Establish a cross-party inner cabinet to deal with climate change.
Set legal emissions limits for industries that decline over time, with penalties for exceeding those
limits.
Maintain a broad-based revenue neutral carbon fee on all sources of carbon dioxide pollution.
Revenues from the carbon fee would be returned to Canadians as a dividend.
No new pipelines, or coal, oil or gas drilling or mining, including offshore wells, will be approved.
Existing oil and gas operations will continue on a declining basis, with bitumen production phased
out between 2030 and 2035.
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations will be banned outright due to impacts on groundwater
quality, methane release and seismic activity.
Cancel the Trans Mountain pipeline (and its $10-13 billion cost) as well as other subsidies to fossil
fuel industries, totaling an additional several billion dollars a year. This money will be redirected to the
Canadian Grid Strategy and renewable energy transition.
Implement a major ramp-up of renewable electricity. By 2030, 100 per cent of Canada’s electricity
will come from renewable sources.
To enable renewable electricity to flow across provincial and territorial boundaries, implement a
national electrical grid strategy, including building connections between eastern Manitoba and
western Ontario, and upgrading connections between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. This will be
paid for with money now allocated for expanding the Trans Mountain pipeline ($1.6 billion announced
in December 2018, towards an estimated $10-13 billion), and create thousands of jobs nation-wide.
Launch a massive energy efficiency retrofit of residential, commercial and institutional buildings. […]
According to trade union research, this will create over four million jobs.
Finance building retrofits and installation of renewable energy technologies such as solar and heat
pumps through direct grants, zero-interest loans and repayments based on energy/cost savings.
Last updated October 15, 2019 13 Change the national building code to require new construction to meet net-zero emission standards
by 2030 and work with the provinces to enact it.
A Green government will develop a national transportation strategy with a goal of reaching zero-
carbon public ground transportation everywhere in Canada by 2040.
Ban the sale of internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by 2030.
Exempt new and used electric and zero-emission vehicles from federal sales tax.
Enact the Via Rail Act to implement a passenger rail transportation policy. Invest $600 million in 2020-
21, rising to $720 million by 2023 to develop regional rail networks and strengthen rail connections
between regions.
Build high-speed rail in the Toronto-Ottawa-Quebec City triangle and the Calgary-Edmonton
corridor.
Require all passenger ferries to convert to electric or hybrid by 2030.
Create a national cycling and walking infrastructure fund to help support zero emissions active
transportation.
Lead an international effort to bring international shipping and aviation into the Paris framework.
Introduce an international tax for aviation and shipping fuels earmarked for the Global Climate fund.
A Green government will work with provinces, territories and Indigenous governments to develop and
legislate a comprehensive national strategy on plastic pollution to be implemented over 10 years.
Ramp up our national contribution to the Green Climate Fund and Global Environmental Facility to
$4 billion per year by 2030.
Liberal Party Commitments
We will achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
To help achieve this goal by 2050, we will:
o Set legally-binding, five-year milestones, based on the advice of the experts and
consultations with Canadians, to reach net-zero emissions;
o Appoint a group of scientists, economists, and experts to recommend the best path to get
to net-zero;
o Exceed Canada’s 2030 emissions goal by introducing new carbon reducing measures;
o Ensure energy workers and communities can shape their own futures by introducing a Just
Transition Act, giving workers access to the training, support and new opportunities
needed to succeed in the clean economy.
We will cut in half the corporate tax paid by companies that develop and manufacture zero-
emissions technologies;
o This will lower corporate taxes on qualifying business over the next three years.
o This will drop corporate taxes for small cleantech businesses from 9 per cent to 4.5 per
cent, and larger cleantech companies will see their taxes drop from 15 per cent to 7.5 per
cent.
We will also require federal buildings to be powered completely by clean electricity by 2022,
accelerating, by three years, our previous commitment to this goal by 2025.
[The Liberals] support Line 3, Keystone, XL, the […] LNG project running to B.C.’s coast and the Trans
mountain pipeline extension, which they bought for $4.5 billion. But they cancelled the Northern
Gateway pipeline and changed the rules for the Eastern East pipeline, leading to the project’s
abandonment.
To better support healthy ecosystems that help fight climate change, we will move forward with an
ambitious plan to plant two billion trees over 10 years. This will help create about 3,500 seasonal jobs
Last updated October 15, 2019 14in tree planting each year, and will be part of a $3 billion commitment to better conserve and restore
forests, grasslands, agricultural lands, wetlands and coastal areas.
To make life more affordable for Canadians, cut our emissions, and protect the environment, we will
move forward with a plan to:
o Help retrofit 1.5 million homes to help Canadians make their homes more energy
efficient, and better protect them from climate-related risks;
o Give interested homeowners and landlords a free energy audit;
o Help homeowners and landlords pay for retrofits by giving them an interest-free loan of
up to $40,000;
o Help people buy newly built homes that are certified zero-emissions by giving them a Net
Zero Homes Grant of up to $5,000; and
o Invest $100 million in skills training to ensure there are enough qualified workers to
keep up with energy audits, retrofits, and net-zero home construction
To make using zero-emission vehicles easier, we will move forward – in partnership with industry
and communities – to install up to 5,000 charging stations along the Trans Canada Highway and
other major road networks, and in Canada’s urban and rural areas.
To make buying a used zero-emission vehicle more affordable, we will expand the incentive that
already exists for buying new zero-emission cars. This will provide a 10 per cent rebate on a used
zero-emission vehicle up to a maximum value of $2,000.
To help communities transition to using more zero-emissions vehicles, we will require that new
federal investments in public transit are used to support zero-emission buses and rail systems
starting in 2023, and will work with municipalities to address any exceptional circumstances.
We will also move forward with a new fund to help more school buses and municipalities
purchase 5,000 zero-emissions school and transit buses over the next five years.
We will move forward with a new $5-billion Clean Power Fund. This fund will help support the
electrification of Canadian industries, including our resource and manufacturing sectors, and
make Canada home to the cleanest mills, mines and factories in the world.
The Clean Power Fund will also help support the transition of northern, remote, and indigenous
communities off reliance on diesel-fueled power and onto clean, renewable, reliable energy.
We will protect 25 per cent of Canada’s land and 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025,
working toward 30 per cent in each by 2030.
To reduce plastic pollution, we are taking steps to ban harmful single-use plastics. This builds on
our existing ban on products with plastic microbeads, which threaten the health of our lakes,
oceans and wildlife.
We will also move forward with new standards and targets for business that manufacture plastic
products or sell items with plastic packaging, to make sure they take full responsibility for
collecting and recycling their plastic waste.
To ensure Canada is better prepared to protect and manage our fresh water in a changing climate,
we will move forward with a new Canada Water Agency. The Agency will work together with the
provinces and territories, Indigenous communities, local authorities, scientists, and others to
find the best ways to keep our water safe, clean and well-managed.
[We will introduce] Canada’s first-ever Aquaculture Act.
Conservative Party Commitments
To reduce the cost of your home heating, gas, groceries, and everyday essentials, we will scrap the
Trudeau Carbon Tax.
Last updated October 15, 2019 15 To encourage Canadians to lower emissions from their homes, we will introduce a two-year, 20 per
cent refundable tax credit to help cover the cost of green home renovations between $1,000 and
$20,000. This two-year tax credit will be available in the 2020 and 2021 calendar years.
We will create a National Energy Corridor to carry Canadian energy and resources from coast to coast.
To create jobs and get critical energy infrastructure projects built, a new Conservative government
will repeal Bill C-69 – the No More Pipelines Act. […] We will replace Bill C-69 with a new process that
sets clear expectations and timelines for environmental reviews.
We will end the ban on shipping traffic on the northern coast of British Columbia.
[We will] build the Trans Mountain Pipeline.
To protect jobs and make sure that projects get built, a new Conservative government will assert
federal jurisdiction over major projects that are “for the general advantage of Canada” under
s.92[10] of the constitution where appropriate. We will not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal
to move forward with projects that are in our national interest, while adhering to high environmental
standards.
A new Conservative government will work with the provinces and municipalities to bring an end to
raw sewage being dumped in waterways across Canada.
To lower greenhouse gases and drive Canadian businesses to the highest standards of green
technology, we will set emissions standards for major emitters. Companies will be required to reduce
their emissions to those limits. Those that emit more than is allowed under the Green Investment
Standards will be required to invest in research, development, and adoption of emissions-reducing
technology related to their industry. These companies will be required to invest a set amount for every
tonne of greenhouse gas they emit above the limit.
Our plan will expand the mandatory application of the major emitters policy from facilities emitting
50 kt CO2e to facilities emitting 40 kt CO2e per year.
To incentivize the green technology sector to do research and development as well as
commercialization here in Canada, we will reduce the tax rate to 5 per cent on income that is
generated from green technology developed and patented in Canada.
To make it easier for builders and contractors to retrofit green homes, we will provide regulatory
support for the development of Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC). ESPC is a relatively
new concept that has worked in other jurisdictions. It works by using investment capital up front and
then having the building owner pay back the investor through the energy savings. We will also
establish a Green Home Retrofit Code that will form part of the regulatory backing required for a new
ESPC market to be established.
To combat emissions from wildfires, we will invest in technology that can improve the early detection
of wildfires and betters predict their behaviour.
A Conservative government will review and modernize air quality standards and regulations with a
focus on urban airsheds in order to combat air pollution.
To support our wetlands, rivers, and lakes, we will support the completion of the Canadian Wetland
Inventory, explore ways to protect wetlands on private lands, and provide funding for watershed
protection. This includes maintaining funding for the Great Lakes and Lake Winnipeg and restoring the
Lake Simcoe Clean-Up Fund.
We will restore funding for the National Wetland Conservation Fund and the Recreational Fisheries
Conservation Partnership Program […] and create a new fund for projects targeting wildlife
enhancement.
To manage our plastic waste, rather than using other countries as dumping grounds, we will ban the
export of plastic waste unless it can be shown that it will be recycled at its destination.
Last updated October 15, 2019 16 Canada is a global leader in carbon capture and sequestration technology. It has been tested and
developed successfully on Canadian facilities, and now we can use that technology know-how to help
the world by continuing to consult, improve, and export internationally.
To lower global emissions, we will provide targeted accelerated capital cost allowances to industries
proven to reduce emissions in other countries and to producers who can be shown to be among the
least carbon-intensive in the world in their industry.
Last updated October 15, 2019 17You can also read
