Environment Minister Mary Polak has congratulated Quebec and Ontario for recently agreeing to collaborate on their climate actions.

Polak met today with David Heurtel, Quebec’s Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against Climate Action and Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, at the United Nations COP 20 climate change conference in Lima, Peru.

“British Columbia has been encouraging all jurisdictions to have strong climate policies in place, and to work together at the subnational level to achieve real change on global greenhouse gas emissions,” said Polak. “With Quebec and Ontario agreeing to co-ordinate their climate actions, Canada and the whole world will reap the benefits. I’m hoping we take the next step of having all the Canadian provinces and territories come together to work with the federal government to develop a national climate action strategy.”

Polak is in Lima attending COP 20 from Dec. 6-11 to strengthen multilateral collaboration on climate and highlight B.C.’s achievements as a blueprint for policy makers looking for proven climate solutions that protect the environment while growing the economy.

As a global climate leader, B.C. was the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce a broad-based, revenue-neutral carbon tax, and was also the first jurisdiction on the continent to become carbon neutral across its public sector and remains the only carbon-neutral province or state in North America.

Polak will also be outlining B.C.’s plans to supply cleaner natural gas to foreign markets that are otherwise heavily dependent on dirtier fossil fuels like coal for their energy needs.

B.C. has also begun work on revitalizing its Climate Action Plan to reflect the Province’s climate leadership in the context of a strong and growing economy that includes a new liquefied natural gas sector. At Lima COP 20, Polak will be seeking fresh ideas from her counterparts from other jurisdictions to help develop new policies that could succeed in B.C.

Learn More:

Follow Polak’s Lima COP 20 activities at: www.env.gov.bc.ca/main/cop20/ and Twitter: @maryforbc

To learn more about Lima COP 20, visit:
http://unfccc.int/meetings/lima_dec_2014/meeting/8141.php

Visit the B.C. Climate Action Secretariat’s website at: www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834