End fossil‑fuel subsidies
Petitioners ask Canada to end fossil‑fuel subsidies and loans (including public CCUS), impose a windfall tax, and redirect funds to clean energy and retrofits respecting Indigenous FPIC. The government responds it is advancing clean‑growth measures.
Why we would sign this petition
- Ending subsidies would stop public support for fossil fuels and free funds for clean energy, helping reduce emissions and meet Canada’s climate targets.
- A windfall tax and redirected funding could finance building retrofits and green‑job programs, supporting workers while lowering household energy costs.
- Requiring Indigenous rights and FPIC compliance would protect Indigenous decision‑making and reduce conflicts over energy projects.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- An immediate end to all subsidies and loans could disrupt energy supply chains and local economies without phased implementation or transition planning.
- A windfall tax and rapid reallocation of funds may deter investment or face legal and administrative challenges, delaying intended benefits.
- Strict FPIC requirements for existing projects could delay or halt projects, creating trade‑offs between emissions goals and economic stability.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA Whereas: The Government of Canada has recognized that we are in a climate crisis and Canadians support taking urgent climate action; The impacts of climate change are being felt across Canada, from floods to wildfires to droughts; Canada spends at least 4.8 billion per year on subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, including loans and tax credits; Oil and gas companies are making record profits while many Canadians struggle with the rising cost of living. We, the undersigned call upon the Government of Canada to: Immediately end all fossil fuel subsidies and loans, including public funding for carbon capture, utilization and storage; Invest in clean energy infrastructure and building retrofits needed for Canada to meet its climate targets; Ensure all existing energy projects uphold Indigenous rights and comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and its principle of free, prior and informed consent; Impose a windfall tax on the excess profits of oil and gas companies; Redirect funds to support a just transition across all sectors so Canadian workers can have good paying green jobs for decades to come.
Government response
Response by the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Signed by The Honourable Julie Dabrusin Climate change is affecting the safety, health, and quality of life of people throughout Canada. The country faces record-breaking climate events, including wildfires, extreme heat and floods, on top of slow-onset impacts such as thawing permafrost, rising sea levels, and loss of biodiversity. Canadians are already paying the costs of pollution, climate disasters, health impacts, and infrastructure damage that already cost businesses and communities billions every year. The earlier Canada takes action to address climate change impacts, the more effectively the country can reduce its risk and protect the health and safety of Canadians. The Government of Canada recognizes this reality and has taken significant, ambitious steps to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. To address the growing risks posed by climate change, the Government of Canada is advancing a whole of society approach to climate change adaptation through Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy. The Strategy was released in 2023 and establishes a transformational vision with objectives and targets to reduce climate related risks across five key systems - disaster resilience, health and wellbeing, nature and biodiversity, infrastructure, and the economy and workers. The Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan outlines how the federal government is contributing to achieving the Strategy’s objectives through targeted programs and investments that address priority climate risks such as floods, wildfires, and extreme heat. Together, the Strategy and the Action Plan complement, and support adaptation efforts led by provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, municipalities, and other stakeholders, strengthening Canada’s capacity to build long term climate resilience and protect the health, safety, and prosperity of Canadians. In support of these efforts, the Government of Canada is helping Canadians make climate informed decisions through the Canadian Centre for Climate Services, which provides accessible climate data, information, and tailored support, including through the ClimateData.ca portal. The Government is also advancing community led adaptation by investing $530?million through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund to deliver the Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative, supporting local governments in addressing region specific climate risks such as floods, wildfires, and extreme heat. Canada is taking action to address climate change while positioning the country for success in the global transition to a low-carbon economy. The Government of Canada remains resolute in ensuring that public funds are used responsibly and that investments in clean technologies and carbon management solutions deliver visible emissions reductions for Canadians. The clean energy transition is essential to achieving emissions reductions and accomplishing this will require countries to build strong low-carbon economies. Building a strong economy for the future requires investing in clean growth. Through investments in the Energy Innovation Program, in 2025 alone, the Government has increased funding for carbon management and clean technology projects across the country, including providing $5.8 million in British Columbia to accelerate Canada’s transition to clean energy and emissions reductions. This includes expanding renewable energy capacity and supporting clean energy projects in Indigenous, rural and remote communities, helping to advance economic reconciliation. Global markets are shifting rapidly toward climate-resilient investments, and Canada is positioning its industries to lead by attracting investment, driving innovation, and creating opportunities in every region of the country. In 2024, global investments in clean energy totalled approximately $2 trillion United States Dollars – nearly double the level of investment in fossil fuels – and the global clean technology market is expected to continue expanding significantly over the coming decade. These trends represent a generational opportunity for Canada to build a strong, competitive economy while reducing emissions and protecting the environment. Every dollar invested in clean technology is investment towards building a clean, sustainable, and strong Canada for the future. Canada’s approach to climate change mitigation relies on a coordinated mix of measures that support emissions reductions while strengthening our economy. A price on pollution for large emitters is a central pillar of this plan. Industrial Carbon Pricing drives investment to reduce emissions and build the competitiveness of Canadian business. It will do more than any other policy to cut greenhouse gas emissions, with next to no cost for consumers. This market-based approach is not just efficient, but important to position Canada to be competitive in a global market that values lower-carbon production. In Budget 2025, the Government of Canada announced the Climate Competitiveness Strategy, which brings together key climate-related measures into a cohesive strategy to boost Canada’s economy and position us as a leader in clean growth and decarbonization. The Strategy provided certainty on key elements of the regulatory environment and incentivized the investments needed for Canada to compete in a net-zero economy of the future, including $90 billion in Investment Tax Credits, supporting Critical Mineral Projects, new methane regulations, and other major initiatives. The Strategy also seeks to mobilize private sector investment by moving forward with sustainable finance initiatives such a developing made-in-Canada sustainable investment guidelines by the end of 2026 (taxonomy). Response by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue Signed by The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne The Government of Canada has taken a range of actions to address tax fairness. One of the government’s first actions after taking office was to move forward with the proposed “middle-class tax cut” by reducing the lowest marginal personal income tax rate from 15 percent to 14 percent. This tax cut will save a two-income family up to $840 this year and generate tax savings for nearly 22 million Canadians. In addition, the government has proposed to: Implement a 100% rebate of the GST (or federal portion of the HST) for first-time buyers on new homes priced up to $1 million, with a linear phase-out for new homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million. As a result of this rebate, first-time home buyers will be able to save up to $50,000. Introduce the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit to help more than 12 million low- and modest-income Canadians afford day-to-day essentials, starting in the spring of 2026. A robust and efficient tax system is what allows the government to support Canadians, protect the essential services they rely on and build major infrastructure and millions of homes. The government will continue to look at ways to improve the fairness of the tax system and seize opportunities for a more prosperous future. Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Signed by The Honourable Tim Hodgson, P.C., M.P. The Government of Canada is committed to taking meaningful climate action, investing in clean energy and supporting workers and communities in the transition to a low-carbon economy. As a component of Budget 2025, the Government released the Climate Competitiveness Strategy in recognition that climate action and economic prosperity go hand and hand to support Canadian clean growth. On September 5, 2025, the Prime Minister announced that Canada would take immediate action to ensure the success of Canada's low carbon fuel sector affected by recent global trade pressures. Actions include making targeted changes to the Clean Fuel Regulations to strengthen the resiliency and support the development of Canada’s low-carbon fuel sector, while maintaining the Regulations’ primary focus on lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and transitioning to a low carbon economy. Environment and Climate Change Canada launched public engagement on the targeted changes with a discussion paper published on December 3, 2025. The Government of Canada will help build new projects that further Canada’s standing as a clean and conventional energy superpower. It will enable projects aimed at lowering emissions intensity of the oil and gas sector and initiatives such as nuclear energy, electricity grid interties, investments in low-carbon fuels, renewable energy projects, increased energy efficiency, high-speed rail, and critical mineral development. Projects like LNG Canada Phase 2 and Pathways Plus, referred to the Major Project Office (MPO), demonstrate the Government’s resolve to move forward in ways that balance ambitious energy goals with robust commitments to reducing emissions and creating jobs. The MPO was established in August 2025 to bring together people and processes to move major projects forward faster, responsibly, and sustainably, while respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and protecting the environment. Specifically, it works with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, and industry to identify and evaluate projects that would offer the greatest benefits for Canadians. It provides advice on whether a project is of national significance based on the five factors outlined in the Building Canada Act, including the extent to which the project can: Strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security; Provide economic or other benefits to Canada; Have a high likelihood of successful execution; Advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples; and Contribute to clean growth and to Canada’s objectives with respect to climate change. The Government of Canada is committed to upholding its duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples throughout the process. Indigenous consultation is a requirement in implementing the Building Canada Act, and MPO’s work is guided by an Indigenous Advisory Council to ensure that reconciliation, partnership, and Indigenous economic participation are embedded in the way major projects are advanced in Canada. The Government is also moving forward with implementation of the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act. As Canada works to become a clean and conventional energy superpower and a secure supplier of sustainable natural resources, this legislation will support the creation of sustainable jobs, strengthen industries and communities in every region across Canada, and support a workforce with the skills, training, and tools to benefit from these new job opportunities. The Act requires that the Government of Canada publish a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years. The 2026-2030 Action Plan, the first one under the Act, was tabled in Parliament on February 23, 2026. The Government is making significant investments in skills and training for workers, including through the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund and the Union Training and Innovation Program – Sustainable Jobs Stream, which support green training for workers. The Government is also advancing skills development through the Sectoral Workforce Innovation Fund and Workforce Alliances. The Alliances will bring together employers, unions, educational institutions, and industry groups to work on ways to help businesses and workers succeed in the changing labour market. In parallel, NRCan is working to reduce emissions from the building sector by incentivizing retrofits in homes and buildings across Canada. Major initiatives have included: the recently concluded $2.6 billion Canada Greener Homes Grant program that has reduced energy use in more than 400,000 homes; $2.6 billion for Canada Greener Homes Loan that committed over 119,000 loans to help Canadians make their homes more energy efficient; $750 million for the Oil to Heat Pump affordability program which has already resulted in over 30,000 households transitioning from costly and polluting heating oil to electric heat pump systems; $600 million Canada Greener Affordable Housing program that delivered energy efficiency improvements to affordable housing 3,249 units; and $30 million to the National Approach to Home Labelling that supports energy performance ratings, energy efficiency recommendations and climate resilience information. The Government is moving quickly to implement the new Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program across Canada, which will provide low-to-median-income homeowners and tenants with no-cost home retrofits that will improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions. Another retrofit initiative is the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program, which aims to accelerate community-scale housing retrofits and advance related research, development and demonstration projects. Lastly, NRCan’s Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative is presently funding 13 Retrofit Accelerators to facilitate the development of deep retrofits in commercial, institutional, and mid- or high-rise multi-unit residential buildings, as well as funding targeted capacity building projects in the areas of business case development, workforce development, and increasing awareness in the financial sector. In addition to these measures, the Government is helping jurisdictions across Canada adopt ambitious energy codes to ensure buildings are energy efficient from the start, therefore avoiding costly retrofits later. NRCan’s Codes Acceleration Fund (CAF) is supporting a range of projects aimed at accelerating ambitious model energy code adoption while promoting higher rates of code compliance. At the same time, the Government is modernizing the ENERGY STAR for New Homes certification program, which recognizes homes built to performance levels that exceed minimum code requirements and achieve higher standards of energy efficiency. Over the past decade, the Energy Innovation Program (EIP) has been the Office of Energy Research and Development’s (OERD) flagship funding program, supporting clean energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) across sectors and advancing technologies with Canadian businesses, utilities, Indigenous communities, and federal labs. EIP’s current active calls focus on three priority areas: developing AI solutions to accelerate and reduce the cost of energy technology innovation; modernizing residential construction through off-site, energy-efficient building approaches; and advancing carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects through front-end engineering and design (FEED) to support final investment decisions. NRCan is supporting the electrification of transportation through several programs that enable the adoption of electric vehicles. The Zero-Emission vehicle Infrastructure Program addresses a key barrier to electric vehicle adoption - a lack of charging infrastructure - by increasing the availability of localized charging opportunities where Canadians live, work, travel and play. The program focuses funding on areas of greatest need along transportation corridors in rural and remote areas and in urban areas where charging demand exceeds supply. NRCan’s Education and Awareness Project Funding aims to address key barriers to mass adoption of electric vehicles - low confidence and awareness among Canadians, related to electric vehicle charging, charging infrastructure, and the operation and ownership of EVs. The Green Freight Program helps fleets reduce their fuel consumption and GHG emissions through fleet energy assessments, fleet retrofits, engine repowers, logistical best-practice implementation and the purchase of low carbon vehicles. Recently the department published the 50th edition of the Fuel Consumption Guide to help Canadians choose the most efficient vehicle that meets their everyday needs, this is in addition to contributions to regional and national education and awareness projects for EVs, electric vehicle charging, and clean fuels. The department also has a dedicated program that supports federal departments in achieving the fleet electrification target (light-duty fleet comprises 100% Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2030) set out by the Treasury Board Secretariat Centre of Greening Government, by providing analysis, tools, and strategic support related to the management of federal vehicle fleets. Response by the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Signed by Jennifer McKelvie, M.P. The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns regarding clean energy infrastructure and building retrofits to help Canada meet its climate targets. Since 2016, the Government of Canada has invested over $20 billion in green building initiatives, including grants and loan programs, research and development funding, training and skills development supports, and allocating funding to provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous communities for greening buildings. Through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada has contributed more than $1.977 billion towards 372 projects supporting green and accessible retrofits, repairs, and upgrades or new construction. More recently, Budget 2025 announced the $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund, which will include a Direct Delivery stream that will provide $6 billion over 10 years, starting in 2026-27, to support regionally significant projects, climate adaptation, and community infrastructure. This could include, for example, clean energy generation and storage projects, flood protection, and new energy-efficient community and recreational spaces. Since 2015, the federal government has committed to funding thousands of public transit and active transportation projects across the country. This includes funding announced in 2021 for zero-emission buses, rural transit services, active transportation, and to accelerate the expansion of large urban transit systems that many Canadians depend on every day. In 2024, the Canada Public Transit Fund was launched: a permanent fund providing ongoing support and the largest single investment in public transit in Canada’s history. The Canada Public Transit Fund will deliver stable, predictable funding over ten years, starting in 2026-2027, to expand public transit and active transportation in support of long-term goals, such as: increasing the use of public transit and active transportation relative to car travel; increasing housing supply and affordability as part of complete, transit-oriented communities; helping to mitigate climate change and improve climate resilience; and, improving public transit and active transportation options for Canadians. The Canada Public Transit Fund is designed to meet the unique needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas to small- and mid-sized communities, including rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities. The funding components of the Canada Public Transit Fund will provide provinces, territories, municipalities, transit agencies, and other partners with the resources they need to plan and implement key public transit projects over the long term. Funding continues to be provided to eligible projects to build new and expanded networks of pathways, bike lanes, trails, and pedestrian bridges, in addition to supporting active transportation planning and community engagement activities. Funding also continues for projects that support public transit operators' plans for electrification, the purchase of zero emission buses, and construction of associated infrastructure, including charging infrastructure and facility upgrades. Additionally, funding continues to support a range of public transit models including fixed-routes, on demand transit and micromobility services in rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities. The Canada Infrastructure Bank invests in clean energy and energy efficient retrofit projects in support of Canada’s clean growth economy and transition to a low-carbon future. As of September 30, 2025, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested approximately $4.8 billion in 22 projects in its Clean Power priority sector, with a total capital cost of approximately $10.5 billion and an estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions of approximately 4.8 megatonnes. Five projects are complete and operational, while another 16 are under construction, and while one has yet to start construction. The Canada Infrastructure Bank’s portfolio of Clean Power projects spans renewable generation, transmission, and battery storage. The Canada Infrastructure Bank has a strong pipeline of near-term investments in clean energy, with further projects driven through backstop commitments to support provincial renewable energy procurement in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Quebec. The Canada Infrastructure Bank has also invested approximately $1.6 billion in 21 retrofit projects under its Green Infrastructure priority sector, with total capital cost of $3.0 billion and an estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions of 3.8 megatonnes (as of September 30, 2025). Retrofit projects span industrial, commercial, and residential buildings, and in several cases the Canada Infrastructure Bank has partnered with project proponents such as building owners or financial institutions to implement retrofits across their portfolios through “building retrofits aggregator projects.” Of the 21 closed projects, one is completed and 15 are under construction, while 5 are yet to start construction. The Canada Infrastructure Bank invests in several other areas that contribute to Canada’s climate targets, including clean transit fleets, district energy, charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and clean fuels. Across its portfolio, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested in infrastructure projects that are estimated to result in average annual greenhouse gas reductions of 10.2 megatonnes (as of September 30, 2025), and the Canada Infrastructure Bank continues to drive significant decarbonization progress across Canada.