Implement CAPE Call to Action
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to implement the CAPE Call to Action: adopt carbon pricing, rapidly phase out fossil fuels and coal, deploy net‑zero infrastructure and ban single‑use plastics, reaching net‑zero by 2050. The government responds that it pursues adaptation, a net‑zero‑by‑2050 plan, strengthened carbon pricing and regulations, clean‑infrastructure investments, and plastics ban.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would translate physicians’ health‑focused recommendations into federal policy, accelerating greenhouse‑gas reductions and reducing climate‑related health harms.
- A nationwide carbon‑pricing strategy and coordinated net‑zero infrastructure would provide predictable incentives and funding to cut emissions across sectors.
- Phasing out fossil fuels, expanding green infrastructure and banning single‑use plastics would reduce pollution, spur clean investment and improve community climate resilience.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Rapid fossil‑fuel phase‑outs and new regulations could impose significant economic costs or disruption without clear transition supports for workers and communities.
- A nationwide mandate may conflict with provincial jurisdiction and practical limits, making collaborative or sector‑specific approaches more feasible.
- The petition lacks detailed implementation timelines, cost estimates and measures to manage trade‑offs, so alternative proposals might be more practical.
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 HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED Whereas: The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C clearly communicates that the future of humanity is at risk without "rapid and far-reaching" changes to mitigate a 1.5°C temperature rise in the next 11 years and to achieve zero emissions by 2050; Canada is on course to significantly overshoot our 2030 Paris Agreement target (Auditor General's Report 2018) with oil and gas and transportation emissions continuing to rise (Government of Canada); The World Health Organization has clearly stated that “climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century"; and The health impacts from climate change, including lung disease, heat-related illness, spread of infectious diseases, displacement, famine, drought, and mental health impacts, are being felt in Canada and abroad and are expected to accelerate across our planet at an unprecedented rate threatening "human lives and viability of the national health systems they depend on" (Lancet Countdown 2018, Lancet Countdown Briefing for Canadian Policymakers, 2018). We, the undersigned, Physician Mothers of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: Act upon the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment "Call to Action on Climate Change and Health" report (February 5, 2019), which has clearly outlined specific measures towards zero emissions; Prioritize the elimination of emissions and preservation of a healthy environment as part of every portfolio and in every decision made by our federal and provincial parties; Implement a nationwide carbon pricing strategy; Commit to the rapid elimination of fossil fuels and coal from our economy; Commit to rapid incorporation of green energy and net-zero infrastructure across the country; and, Eliminate single use plastics.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Health Signed by Maggie Chi Our government is taking action to protect the health of Canadians from climate change. Canada's National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) outlines a whole-of society path to a more climate-resilient Canada. The Strategy’s Health and Wellbeing System sets the objectives and targets to ensure that the health of all people in Canada is safeguarded and supported by a climate-resilient and adaptive health sector. To support this Strategy, Health Canada is implementing initiatives such as HealthADAPT and HeatADAPT, which help the health sector prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change and help protect the health of Canadians from extreme heat. More information about this work may be found at: Climate change and health - Canada.ca. The Government of Canada has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. Our government continues to undertake a series of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; additional information is available on Canada’s Climate Change webpage. As it relates to integrating health co-benefits and health impact assessments into ongoing policy decisions, Health Canada incorporates assessments of air quality health co-benefits into federal regulatory impact analyses for greenhouse gas reduction measures, including those targeting the sources outlined in your call-to-action, such as the transportation and electricity generation sectors. Response by the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Signed by The Honourable Julie Dabrusin The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views regarding climate change and its impacts on health, the environment, and the economy. Canadians are increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change, including extreme weather, wildfires, heat events, and public health impacts. The Government of Canada remains committed to taking bold, coordinated action to protect people, nature, and communities while positioning Canada to lead in the global transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy. Fighting climate change is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity. In Budget 2025, the Government of Canada released the Climate Competitiveness Strategy, a comprehensive plan to drive investment, innovation, and economic growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Through this approach, Canada is fulfilling on its net-zero by 2050 commitment while attracting global investment and generating well-paying jobs for Canadians. The strategy ensures Canadian industries remain competitive in a global market increasingly demanding low-carbon products and solutions. By embedding climate competitiveness across government, Canada is innovating, unlocking new markets, and securing its place as a leader in the energy transition. A strong industrial carbon pricing system is one of the most effective tools to reduce pollution, create jobs, and drive clean innovation. Industrial carbon pricing provides large facilities with incentives to invest in large-scale decarbonization projects, with minimal impact on consumer costs. Since 2019, the federal carbon pricing benchmark has set minimum national standards, strengthened in 2023, and continues to provide provinces and territories with guidance or the option to adopt the federal output-based pricing system. Budget 2025 committed the government to enhancing the effectiveness of industrial carbon pricing to ensure predictable credit prices, support clean growth investments, and maintain competitiveness while reducing emissions. These measures form a central pillar of Canada’s plan to build a strong, clean economy. The Government of Canada recognizes that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel production and combustion are a primary driver of climate change. Through enhanced methane regulations, published in December 2025, the government is targeting a 72% reduction of oil and gas sector methane emissions below 2012 levels by 2030. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas — approximately 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period — making its reduction one of the fastest and most cost-effective actions to fight climate change while improving air quality and public health. Phasing out unabated coal power is a key step to reduce emissions and improve air quality. The federal government’s regulations to eliminate coal-fired electricity by 2030 are progressing well: Alberta and Ontario have already completed their phase-outs, six years ahead of schedule, contributing to a 50% reduction in electricity-sector greenhouse gas emissions since 2005. The Clean Electricity Regulations will further reduce emissions and support a reliable, affordable transition to clean power, in collaboration with provinces and territories. Canada already generates over 80% of electricity from non or low-emitting sources, and continued investments, including $90 billion in clean energy tax credits and funding through the Canada Infrastructure Bank and Canada Growth Fund, will help provinces transition to net-zero grids while meeting growing electricity demand. Together, the Coal Phase-out Regulations, Methane Regulations, the Clean Electricity Regulations and Volatile Organic Compound Regulations in certain products are estimated to generate between $18 billion and $21 billion in direct health care benefits. Regarding electric vehicles, the Government is investing over $97 million in 155 clean transportation projects – including $84 million for over 8000 new electric vehicle charging stations. This supports Canadians in adopting electric vehicles today while preparing the country for the growing demand for low-carbon transportation. By building the necessary charging infrastructure and promoting made-in-Canada solutions, the Government is helping to strengthen domestic manufacturing, create high-skilled jobs, and position Canada as a global leader in the clean transportation sector. Beyond emissions reductions, the Federal Court of Appeal recently upheld the Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, ensuring that Canada’s ban on six categories of harmful plastics remains in force. This decision affirms that plastic pollution poses a serious threat to Canada’s environment and enables the government to continue working with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, industry, and communities on sustainable, circular solutions. Canadians are already seeing the benefits, with less plastic in parks, rivers, and beaches, and businesses successfully transitioning to reusable and environmentally sound alternatives. 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 the importance of strong climate action and the need to continue to invest in cleaner transportation systems and climate-resilient infrastructure to support Canada’s transition to a net-zero future. 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. It also continues for projects that support public transit and school bus 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, such as e-bikes in rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities. Through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada continues to collaborate with all levels of government, Indigenous partners as well as stakeholders to advance the Government's climate priorities by improving energy efficiency, reducing Greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing the climate resilience of community buildings. The program contributes to these goals by funding projects that improve energy performance and promote low-carbon and net-zero (or net-zero-ready) construction. To date, through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada has contributed more than $1.977 billion towards 372 projectssupporting green and accessible retrofits, repairs, and upgrades or new construction. The Canada Infrastructure Bank is an arms-length Crown corporation that makes independent investment decisions within priority sectors identified by the Government. The Canada Infrastructure Bank operates in five priority sectors, each associated with a long-term investment target: Clean Power ($10 billion), Green Infrastructure ($10 billion), Public Transit ($5 billion), Trade and Transportation ($5 billion), and Broadband ($3 billion). Budget 2025 broadened the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s mandate to make investments in any nation-building projects that have been referred to the Major Projects Office, regardless of sector or asset class, as long as they fall within the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s legal mandate. Three of the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s five priority sectors directly support Canada’s clean growth economy and the transition to a low-carbon future. The Canada Infrastructure Bank measures greenhouse gas reductions that result from the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s investments, working toward a long-term target of an expected, cumulative annual greenhouse gas reduction of 15 megatonnes carbon dioxide equivalent across the Canada Infrastructure Bank portfolio. Clean Power infrastructure such as zero-emission generation, electricity transmission and storage, small modular reactors and high-efficiency district energy projects. 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 estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions of approximately 4.8 megatonnes. Five projects are complete and operational, while another 16 are under construction, and one awaiting construction. 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 procurements, including with the provinces of New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Green Infrastructure such as energy efficient retrofits, carbon capture utilization and storage, clean fuels, hydrogen and zero emission vehicle charging infrastructure. Under its Building Retrofits Initiative, the Canada Infrastructure Bank invests in the energy efficiency of existing buildings, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to Canada’s transition to a low-carbon future. As of September 30, 2025, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested approximately $4.1 billion in 39 projects in the Green Infrastructure priority sector, with a total capital cost of approximately $9.7 billion and estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions of approximately 5.0 megatonnes. One project is complete and operational, while another 33 are under construction, and another five awaiting construction. Public transit such as zero-emission-buses and light rail urban transit systems and major transit projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support livable communities. Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Zero Emission Buses initiative ($1.5 billion) is helping Canadian transport authorities and school boards to switch away from diesel by supporting the purchase of over 5,000 zero-emission-buses, resulting in significant greenhouse gas reductions. To date, the Canada Infrastructure Bank estimates its investments in zero-emission-buses will result in a reduction of nearly 180,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. Additionally, the Canada Infrastructure Bank is contributing to the financing of Montreal’s Réseau express métropolitain, which, once fully in service, will decrease 100,000 tons of greenhouse gas annually, or the equivalent of 30,000 fewer cars on the road in 24 hours. 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.