Policy Development

Roundtable Report The Power of Procurement

1/2018 - January 2018. Government of Canada. Under the Pan-Canadian Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change, the federal government committed to…

Joint Response to Greater Golden Horseshoe Transportation Plan

1/2018 - January 2018. Government of Ontario. Since transportation is the largest contributor to Ontario’s carbon emissions, it is important that the…

TAF Environmental Defence Response to Condominium Act Regulatory Proposals

1/2018 - January 2018. Government of Ontario. Considering this rapid rise in condominiums in Ontario, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in condominiums…

Best bang for our climate bucks: Looking beyond cost per tonne

1/2018 - Would anyone ditch all fruits and vegetables and switch to a carbs-only diet because it's the cheapest? Obviously not. Likewise, governments shouldn't solely focus on cost per tonne of emissions reduced when it comes to investing public dollars in climate action. A nuanced approach is what we need.

CBC Here and Now: Ontario’s new ethanol plan is one step towards reducing transportation emissions

12/2017 - As part of its efforts to increase fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions from transportation, the Province of Ontario plans to double the amount of ethanol in gasoline by 2020. On CBC's Here and Now, The Atmospheric Fund CEO Julia Langer explains why this policy change could turn out to be a useful step in tackling Ontario's emissions and help achieve our TransformTO climate goals.

No buildings left behind: A near-zero emissions future for Canada’s existing buildings

10/2017 - Canada has to include existing buildings in its transition to a low-carbon future. Research from The Atmospheric Fund and the Pembina Institute outlines a comprehensive national strategy to make our existing building stock energy efficient.

Joint Submission Strengthening the Ontario Building Code

9/2017 - September 2017. Government of Ontario. Strengthening the Ontario Building Code is a critical tool for the transition to a cleaner…

Policy Options: Governments need to act on energy-efficient buildings shift

9/2017 - The shift to ultra-energy-efficient and low-carbon homes and buildings will help Canada reach its 2030 climate target under the Paris Agreement as well as its longer-term decarbonization goals. It will also reduce energy costs for Canadians, TAF CEO Julia Langer and Pembina Institute's Director of Buildings and Urban Solutions Karen Tam Wu emphasize in their submission to Policy Options.

Hill Times Op-Ed: Shift to low-carbon buildings requires all governments to step up

8/2017 - A framework first ministers agreed to last year provided the ambition, and now we need to see action and accountability, TAF ally Pembina Institute points out in its op-ed for the Hill Times.

Energy Regulations for Existing Buildings

8/2017 - August 2017. Government of Canada. Governments at all levels in Canada are working on making new buildings more energy efficient. But…

Canadian Press: Resale homes should carry energy use label by 2019 – environmental groups

8/2017 - Ten organizations, including the Pembina Institute, the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance and The Atmospheric Fund, want the federal government to implement nearly two dozen policies to cut energy use in commercial and residential buildings - including energy labelling for homes on the market.

Getting More Bang for Ontario’s Energy Efficiency Bucks

8/2017 - August 2017. Government of Ontario. This brief presents the Minister of Finance with recommendations for how the Ontario Government can achieve…