Task force wants $55B for climate, clean energy

A new report from an independent task force says Canada's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic needs massive investments in clean energy, climate-resilient buildings and electric cars to keep up with a greener-shifting world.

The $55-billion, five-year environmental economic plan from the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery is just one of a rising number of reports bombarding the Liberal government with demands for a robust and fair recovery ahead of next week's throne speech.

This one, though, involves a former member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's inner circle — Gerald Butts, who was Trudeau's principal secretary until February 2019, is one of the 14 task force members.

The group also includes Mitch Davidson, who spent a year as the executive policy director for Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford, and Mira Oreck, who worked for two years as a director in the office of B.C. NDP Premier John Horgan.

Richard Florizone, the task force chair and president of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, says Canada has to do more if it wants to stay in the green economy race.

He pointed to billions of dollars of planned investments in clean energy and climate in Europe, as well as more than $8 billion in environment policies promised by U.S. presidential hopeful Joe Biden.