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
-30-
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 – Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.4 per cent to $66.6 billion in August, helped by higher new car sales.
The agency says sales were up in four of nine subsectors as sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 3.5 per cent, boosted by a 4.3 per cent increase at new car dealers and a 2.1 per cent gain at used car dealers.
Core retail sales — which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers — fell 0.4 per cent in August.
Sales at food and beverage retailers dropped 1.5 per cent, while furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliances retailers fell 1.4 per cent.
In volume terms, retail sales increased 0.7 per cent in August.
Looking ahead, Statistics Canada says its advance estimate of retail sales for September points to a gain of 0.4 per cent for the month, though it cautioned the figure would be revised.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2024.
OTTAWA – The federal government is expected to boost the minimum hourly wage that must be paid to temporary foreign workers in the high-wage stream as a way to encourage employers to hire more Canadian staff.
Under the current program’s high-wage labour market impact assessment (LMIA) stream, an employer must pay at least the median income in their province to qualify for a permit. A government official, who The Canadian Press is not naming because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the change, said Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault will announce Tuesday that the threshold will increase to 20 per cent above the provincial median hourly wage.
The change is scheduled to come into force on Nov. 8.
As with previous changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker program, the government’s goal is to encourage employers to hire more Canadian workers. The Liberal government has faced criticism for increasing the number of temporary residents allowed into Canada, which many have linked to housing shortages and a higher cost of living.
The program has also come under fire for allegations of mistreatment of workers.
A LMIA is required for an employer to hire a temporary foreign worker, and is used to demonstrate there aren’t enough Canadian workers to fill the positions they are filling.
In Ontario, the median hourly wage is $28.39 for the high-wage bracket, so once the change takes effect an employer will need to pay at least $34.07 per hour.
The government official estimates this change will affect up to 34,000 workers under the LMIA high-wage stream. Existing work permits will not be affected, but the official said the planned change will affect their renewals.
According to public data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits became effective in 2023. That was up from 98,025 in 2019 — an 88 per cent increase.
The upcoming change is the latest in a series of moves to tighten eligibility rules in order to limit temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers. Those changes include imposing caps on the percentage of low-wage foreign workers in some sectors and ending permits in metropolitan areas with high unemployment rates.
Temporary foreign workers in the agriculture sector are not affected by past rule changes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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.
