With the sum of $9 billion that the Legault government has invested in the plan for a green economy (PEV), it believes it can achieve at least 60% of the GHG reduction target it has set itself. set for 2030.
The government therefore estimates that it has seven years left to implement other measures that will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 37.5% below their 1990 level.
As announced in the last budget, new investments will total over $9 billion over five years, an increase of $1.4 billion (18%) over the previous plan.
The Legault government plans to spend this amount as follows: $7.6 billion will be used to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, $860.6 million will be devoted to building adaptive capacity in the face of to the impacts of climate change and 534.2 million are reserved for “support for climate transition and other measures”.
Reduction of GHGs from buildings
The government plans to invest more than $1 billion to support the decarbonization of buildings, which are responsible for nearly 10% of GHG emissions.
Of this billion, an investment of 215 million is planned in the recovery of thermal discharges. Many industrial facilities produce large thermal releases to the environment. This heat is neither recovered nor reused and the funding aims to set up projects that will allow the capture of thermal discharges in order to distribute them so that the energy released can be used to heat various large buildings.
The Hôpital de l’Enfant Jésus, which uses heat from the Quebec City incinerator, is an example of the recovery of waste heat. A sum of $74 million is also planned to support the use of dual energy.
Decarbonize buildings
The government intends to set up a declaration and rating system to assess the energy performance of large buildings; buildings with at least 30 doors. Financial assistance programs will be available for owners who must carry out work so that their building meets the energy standards, which will come into force gradually. New standards are also planned for new constructions.
The Legault government also plans to invest $280.3 million in renewable energy projects for isolated communities that are not connected to the Hydro-Québec network.
Wind farms are therefore planned for certain northern communities that are still largely powered by diesel.
Reduction plans for cement plants
In Quebec, 15% of GHGs come from four cement plants. These cement works will have to present GHG reduction plans when they renew their ministerial authorization relating to the operation of their industrial establishment.
However, GHG reduction targets will not be mandatory.
Fleet electrification
The Legault government wants to have the “most electrified car fleet in North America by 2030”. To achieve this, he intends to unveil a “charging strategy” soon, at a cost of $514 million.
The Écocamionnage program should also benefit from an $82.5 million increase in funding.
Funding for the electrification of intercity and private buses will increase by $13.5 million.
Promoting sustainable mobility
The government will inject an additional $68 million into the financial assistance program for the development of active transportation in urban areas, which will bring the total budget to $140 million over five years. This program is used to finance projects for self-service bicycle systems and pedestrian and cycling networks.
The update of the EPI also plans to make available to municipalities “nearly 240 million additional dollars” to support them in the implementation of a “climate plan”.