Nova Scotia Liberals release environmental platform with new land protection target
Previous targets for greenhouse gas reductions and a new promise to protect more land in Nova Scotia were the highlights of the Liberal party's environmental platform released Tuesday.
Much of the platform's $173 million in promised spending over four years had already been set out as part of government policy or had been announced before the Aug. 17 election was called.
Liberal Leader Iain Rankin used the backdrop of a provincial park in Halifax to announce his party's plan, saying its centrepiece is the commitment made before the election to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 53 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Rankin said key to that goal is a promise to get the province off coal-fired electrical generation by 2030 and to have 80 per cent of the province's energy come from renewable sources by that time. The province currently gets about 40 per cent of its electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and tidal power.
"We are one of the last provinces to use it (coal) as an energy source," Rankin told reporters. "It's going to be tough but we are starting with a renewable energy tender that is one of the largest in the province's history."
A week before the election was called, Rankin announced his government would be issuing a request for proposals for projects to generate 350 megawatts from renewable sources. The government said at the time the initiative would supply another 10 per cent of the province's electricity from wind and solar power and cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than one million tonnes a year.
"That is probably the most important, single focus for us to get off coal 10 years earlier," Rankin said, referring to the province's previous goal of reducing emissions by 53 per cent below 2005 levels by 2040.
He also announced a new target of protecting 17 per cent of the province's land from development -- up from the current 14 per cent. Rankin said reaching that goal would protect about half of Crown-owned land, adding that the general target date for doing so is 2030.
"We need to protect more of Nova Scotia while growing our economy," he said. "It's not an either or. A healthy environment is actually foundational to growing a healthy economy."
Rankin said many of the new initiatives in the platform would be paid with money from cap-and-trade auctions this year that are expected to collect roughly $50 million. About $15 million over four years would be dedicated to upgrading provincial parks and $20 million over the next two years to help low-income families with energy efficient home retrofits.
There's also a $12-million commitment over three years to support projects that upgrade energy efficiency in community buildings.
The Progressive Conservative platform calls for the protection of 20 per cent of the province's land and water, and it sets a goal of having 80 per cent of the electrical supply from renewable sources by 2030.
The NDP has said it would introduce a target of lowering carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail Tuesday, NDP Leader Gary Burrill highlighted the need for more affordable housing in the province, pledging 1,000 new affordable units over four years at a total cost of $158.4 million. Burrill said the units would be created by investing in "publicly owned, co-operative and non-profit housing."
Tory Leader Tim Houston talked about his party's promise of a $1-million fund to help support and revitalize hockey rinks in rural communities. He noted the importance of helping rinks that he said are "economic drivers" at a time when many municipal budgets are shrinking.
Meanwhile, Elections Nova Scotia said that as of Monday, a total of 20,810 early votes had been cast. At the same point in the 2017 election, 7,784 Nova Scotians had taken the opportunity to cast early votes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.