Building A Sustainable Economy

The environment is the very foundation of the economy. Nature provides services such as clean air, water, and soil that are rarely factored into the cost of doing business. Protecting Canada’s environment and conserving natural resources is essential for a competitive economy in the 21st century.

Many countries have realized that environmental conservation is good for the economy—and they’re taking action. Places like Sweden, Germany, the U.K., Denmark, and the Netherlands are strategically using public policies such as ecological fiscal reform to spur innovation, investment, technological progress, and behavioural change.

In contrast, Canada has been reluctant to use strong regulations or economic disincentives to protect the environment. The countries that are far ahead of Canada in terms of environmental protection are also outperforming Canada economically.

The David Suzuki Foundation regularly offers policy proposals that would make Canada a world leader in protecting its rich natural capital.

Our economic solutions can be found in the following publications:

• Switch Green: How to promote energy efficient appliances in Canada
• Drive Green: Tax incentives for efficient company cars
• Forever Farmland: Agricultural land-use reform
• Smart Generation: An analysis of electricity production in Ontario
• Economic Analysis of "closed-tank" fish farms

Our overall goals are contained in the report, Sustainability within a Generation. The report outlines how a long-term national plan with clear targets and timelines would generate less pollution and waste and improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

The policy changes in Sustainability Within a Generation are simple and involve a common theme: making the market work better. For example, Canada still subsidizes polluting industries such as mining and oil exploration. Instead, Canada should use a preventative approach, which is less expensive than cleaning up after environmental degradation occurs. Our recommended legislative changes would make polluters pay and benefit good environmental performers, which would put Canada ahead both environmentally and economically.