Schulz aims to push feds at CCME meetings

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 27, 2023.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment meetings began Wednesday in Ontario and will continue through tomorrow. Rebecca Schulz, Alberta Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, is at the national meeting to join in discussions on a variety of topics.

“This is a key meeting and a chance for elected representatives from all levels of government to meet to address environmental challenges facing the entire country. The only way to make real progress cutting emissions and protecting our environment is for all levels of government to work together, as equals,” stated Schulz in the press release.

One topic on the agenda is cuts to oil and gas production. Schulz recently met with Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault. At that meeting, she requested available data, analysis, cost estimates, risk assessments, job loss forecasts and socioeconomic impact studies regarding oil and gas production cuts. While at the environment meeting, she says she intends to call upon the federal government to produce this information immediately.

Plastic waste will also be on the agenda, with the Alberta government being unsupportive of Canada’s designation of plastic manufactured items as toxic. Alberta is currently challenging the federal government on this issue in court.

Alberta is currently transitioning to a new recycling system that will shift the responsibility away from taxpayers and onto the producer for collecting, sorting, processing and recycling materials.

Emissions reductions and clean electricity regulation will be two other topics discussed at the meeting and Schulz will be sharing Alberta’s progress in both areas, as well as concerns on federal policies and plans.

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