Newsroom

For Immediate Release

MEDIA RELEASE

Environmental Groups Release Recommendations for 2007 Budget

Ottawa (November 27, 2006) The Green Budget Coalition, comprising 20 of Canada’s leading environmental and conservation organizations, today issued its five overriding recommendations for the 2007 federal budget.

"Our five recommendations would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean our air and water, protect Canadians’ health, and preserve our world-famous nature, while also stimulating economic growth and improving energy security ", said Julie Gelfand, Coalition Chair.

“These recommendations could thus play a prime role in achieving one of the objectives of the government’s new economic plan, Advantage Canada, which is to ‘create a healthier environment and more sustainable economic growth, including through responsible use of our natural resources and effective use of technology.’”

The five recommendations focus on:

1) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Commencing a Comprehensive Strategy

2) The Mackenzie Valley: Creating protected areas and land use plans before large-scale industrial development

3) Species At Risk Act: Fulfilling its Mandate

4) Canadian Environmental Protection Act: Strengthening Implementation

5) Oil Sands: Reducing an Expensive, Unnecessary Tax Advantage

Coalition members will be discussing these recommendations with Members of Parliament and government officials during a series of meetings on November 28th and 29th, 2006.

"The oil sands recommendation itself could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually,” said Gelfand, “funds which could much better serve the interests of Canadians by financing advancements in energy efficiency, protecting Canadians' health from toxic substances, and preserving our cherished natural heritage."

The Green Budget Coalition brings together the collective knowledge of 20 of Canada’s leading environmental and conservation groups, to submit priority recommendations for each annual federal budget, and to advance the integration of environmental values into the economy.

The Green Budget Coalition’s members are Bird Studies Canada, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Centre for Integral Economics, David Suzuki Foundation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Environmental Defence, Équiterre, Friends of the Earth Canada, Greenpeace Canada, International Institute for Sustainable Development, MiningWatch Canada, Nature Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Pembina Institute, Pollution Probe, Sierra Club of Canada, Sierra Legal Defence Fund, Social Investment Organization, and World Wildlife Fund Canada.

View the full report, Recommendations for Budget 2007: Opportunities for a Greener Canada.

-30-

CONTACTS:

General:

Julie Gelfand
Chair, Green Budget Coalition
President, Nature Canada
613-562-3447 ext. 231 or 613-858-5029 (cell)

Andrew Van Iterson
Program Manager, Green Budget Coalition
613-562-3447 ext. 243
avaniterson@naturecanada.ca

For specific recommendations:

1) Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency
Roger Peters, Pembina Institute
819-483-6288 ext. 22
rogerp@pembina.org

2) Mackenzie Valley
Alison Woodley, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
613-569-7226 ext. 227
awoodley@cpaws.org

3) Species At Risk Act
Julie Gelfand (as above)

4) Canadian Environmental Protection Act
Aaron Freeman, Environmental Defence
613-564-0007
freeman@medialine.ca

5) Oil Sands
Amy Taylor, Pembina Institute
403-705-4954
amyt@pembina.org