Principles of a National Energy and Environmental Strategy for Canada

Unifor BC, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Councils express support for the concept of a national energy and environmental strategy for Canada, including the following principles:

1. Binding and ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
2. Future expansion of bitumen production needs to be managed in line with those greenhouse gas caps;
3. Systematic efforts to ensure more Canadian content and Canadian value-added at all stages of the energy supply chain, including machinery, services, extraction, upgrading, processing, and manufacturing;
4. Prohibitions on the export of raw bitumen, and requirements for upgrading and processing of petroleum in Canada;
5. Efforts to match Canadian energy production with Canadian needs, and reduce imports of oil;
6. Completion of a Canada-wide energy grid (including pipelines and electricity transmission) to improve Canadian energy security and independence;
7. An ambitious green energy investment plan, including investment in alternative and renewable energy sources, energy conservation, urban transit; and,
8. Support the National Executive Board’s call for a moratorium on unconventional fracking until safety, environmental, and First Nations’ concerns have been fully addressed.