CALGARY, April 25, 2024 – Today, Calgary business leaders joined Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, Green Economy Canada, The City of Calgary, Calgary Foundation, Natural Resources Canada and TD Bank Group to celebrate the official launch of Green Economy Calgary, a non-profit hub providing tools, one-on-one support, education and a peer network to support local businesses as they reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve climate resiliency and reduce energy costs.
“Green Economy Calgary provides a vital support network for our local Calgary businesses to thrive in this economy while taking meaningful steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “Our collective action supports the success and vibrancy of the future generations who will run our businesses and call Calgary home.”
Green Economy Calgary is part of a national network led by Green Economy Canada. Businesses that join the Green Economy Canada network commit to setting GHG reduction targets and to publicly report on their progress each year, resulting in accountable, business-led climate action. To date, more than 600 businesses have collectively reduced over 220,000 tonnes of GHGs across Canada — the equivalent of the energy needed to power 54,000 homes or over 69,000 cars for one year.
Approximately 33% of the GHG emissions in Calgary come from commercial and industrial sources.
Green Economy Calgary will primarily support small- and medium-sized businesses in shrinking their carbon footprint and remaining competitive in a marketplace that is shifting toward carbon-neutral practices.It can provide a guided step-by-step process to help members measure their emissions, create and implement reduction plans, set reduction targets and track progress toward their goals. These businesses will proactively transition to lower-carbon practices while realizing energy efficiencies that reduce operating costs.
“Climate action requires participation from all Calgarians, industry sectors and businesses,” says Dick Ebersohn, Manager of Climate Mitigation, The City of Calgary. “This initiative supports businesses to participate and accelerate progress towards a low-carbon economy and our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”
Green Economy Calgary is one of ten hubs that are helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint across Canada.
“Every business in every industry will be impacted by climate change and the global transition to a low-carbon future,” says Priyanka Lloyd, Executive Director of Green Economy Canada. “Green Economy Calgary will provide the tools, support and peer network that local organizations need to not only stay competitive but become leaders in this transition.”
“We are proud to be partners of Green Economy Calgary, as well as members of their inaugural cohort of organizations taking proactive steps to reduce our impact on climate and drive sustainable economic growth,” says Pat Letizia, CEO of Alberta Ecotrust Foundation. “This initiative fills a critical gap and provides accessible climate action support to small and medium organizations, allowing us to collectively demonstrate our commitment to a more resilient Alberta.”
Calgary businesses interested in becoming a member of Green Economy Calgary can do so by visiting www.greeneconomycalgary.ca
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About Green Economy Calgary
Green Economy Calgary is a new, non-profit hub that supports local businesses to adapt and thrive in the low-carbon transition. Developed as a collaboration between Alberta Ecotrust Foundation and Green Economy Canada, we provide a cost-effective, hands-on and practical approach to help members of all sectors and sizes take action on climate change and become stronger and more resilient for the future. Whether you are just getting started, or want to accelerate your sustainability journey, Green Economy Calgary is the place for you.
Green Economy media contact: Lindsay Driediger-Murphy, Hub Coordinator, Green Economy Calgary lindsay@greeneconomy.ca 587-952-7245
OTTAWA – The parliamentary budget officer says the federal government likely failed to keep its deficit below its promised $40 billion cap in the last fiscal year.
However the PBO also projects in its latest economic and fiscal outlook today that weak economic growth this year will begin to rebound in 2025.
The budget watchdog estimates in its report that the federal government posted a $46.8 billion deficit for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland pledged a year ago to keep the deficit capped at $40 billion and in her spring budget said the deficit for 2023-24 stayed in line with that promise.
The final tally of the last year’s deficit will be confirmed when the government publishes its annual public accounts report this fall.
The PBO says economic growth will remain tepid this year but will rebound in 2025 as the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts stimulate spending and business investment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says the level of food insecurity increased in 2022 as inflation hit peak levels.
In a report using data from the Canadian community health survey, the agency says 15.6 per cent of households experienced some level of food insecurity in 2022 after being relatively stable from 2017 to 2021.
The reading was up from 9.6 per cent in 2017 and 11.6 per cent in 2018.
Statistics Canada says the prevalence of household food insecurity was slightly lower and stable during the pandemic years as it fell to 8.5 per cent in the fall of 2020 and 9.1 per cent in 2021.
In addition to an increase in the prevalence of food insecurity in 2022, the agency says there was an increase in the severity as more households reported moderate or severe food insecurity.
It also noted an increase in the number of Canadians living in moderately or severely food insecure households was also seen in the Canadian income survey data collected in the first half of 2023.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct 16, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales in August fell to their lowest level since January 2022 as sales in the primary metal and petroleum and coal product subsectors fell.
The agency says manufacturing sales fell 1.3 per cent to $69.4 billion in August, after rising 1.1 per cent in July.
The drop came as sales in the primary metal subsector dropped 6.4 per cent to $5.3 billion in August, on lower prices and lower volumes.
Sales in the petroleum and coal product subsector fell 3.7 per cent to $7.8 billion in August on lower prices.
Meanwhile, sales of aerospace products and parts rose 7.3 per cent to $2.7 billion in August and wood product sales increased 3.8 per cent to $3.1 billion.
Overall manufacturing sales in constant dollars fell 0.8 per cent in August.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
