{"id":9916,"date":"2026-11-13T12:13:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T12:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/thought-leadership\/?p=9916"},"modified":"2026-11-13T14:19:19","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T14:19:19","slug":"government-pulse-check-how-canadian-climate-policy-stacks-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/thought-leadership\/climate-action\/government-pulse-check-how-canadian-climate-policy-stacks-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Government Pulse Check: How Canadian climate policy stacks up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tClimate Action\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGovernment Pulse Check: How Canadian climate policy stacks up\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\tAn expert panel on everything from the biggest risks to the 2035 target and the highest impact policy tools\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Politics\u2014not technology adoption or project delays\u2014is the biggest risk to Canada achieving its stated emissions goals. That\u2019s the view of a majority of Canada\u2019s climate experts in RBC Climate Action Institute and the Canadian Climate Institute\u2019s inaugural survey on climate policy. The survey consisted of 65 climate experts between June 25 and July 24, 2026, spanning academia, advocacy, industry and finance, aimed to assess the state of Canadian policymaking through the lens of many who watch it closely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political winds have shifted since then, with changed leadership in British Columbia, a Democrat wave in the United States that has the potential to renew several low-carbon incentives, and a new federal budget from Ottawa that appears to bring climate competitiveness back as a central piece of Canada\u2019s quest to boost capital and trade. Still, it\u2019s early days for a change sentiment to trickle down into policy measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Among the panellists, there was broad consensus on the durability of Canada\u2019s climate policies over the next 10 years: with 56% labelling it fragile or very fragile, nearly a quarter were neutral, while 17% felt it was durable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also broad agreement that Canadian climate action needs to be balanced by the country\u2019s ability to remain economically competitive: 86% of respondents believe international developments on environmental policy are relevant or very relevant to Canada’s climate trajectory. The finding confirms the broader reset already underway across global climate policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here are some key highlights from the survey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1.<\/strong> Experts are in a pessimistic mood.<\/strong> 73% believe federal government policy is \u201cweaker\u201d or \u201cmuch weaker\u201d than five years ago; only 14% think it\u2019s stronger. Nine out of 10 panellists were either \u201cnot confident\u201d or \u201cvery unconfident\u201d that Canada would meet its 2030 GHG emissions reduction targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. But some are still on the fence on 2050 goals.<\/strong> Around 18% were neutral or unsure about Canada hitting its net-zero targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Government<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How would you rate Canada’s current climate policy frameworks in their effectiveness at reducing GHG emissions?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

n = 62. Source: Climate Action 2027: Government Tracker (fielded Jun 25 – Jul 24, 2026).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Response<\/th>Count<\/th>% of n<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ineffective<\/td>28<\/td>45%<\/td><\/tr>
Neutral<\/td>16<\/td>26%<\/td><\/tr>
Effective<\/td>12<\/td>19%<\/td><\/tr>
Very ineffective<\/td>4<\/td>6%<\/td><\/tr>
Unsure<\/td>2<\/td>3%<\/td><\/tr>
Total<\/strong><\/td>62<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

3. Industrial carbon pricing is seen as the most effective tool.<\/strong> It ranks among those surveyed as the single most effective federal policy for reducing emissions through to 2035, receiving 24 of 50 first-place rankings. Regulations were a distant second, while funding programs such as the scrapped consumer carbon pricing regime was ranked last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4.<\/strong> Climate funding is seen as ineffective.<\/strong> Four in 10 experts expect only about 50-70% of announced federal climate funding to be fully deployed. Funding programs rank second last among federal policy tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.<\/strong> Electricity, Canada\u2019s seemingly emission-busting workhorse, is expected to lead emissions fight.<\/strong> It was chosen as best positioned to reduce emissions by 2035, receiving 32 of 55 first-place rankings. Transportation was ranked second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Expectedly, oil and gas<\/strong> came in last.<\/strong> The sector, which accounts for 30% of national emissions, garnered low confidence in meeting its targets by 2035 from 62% of the panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Government<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7. Alberta\u2019s policy tools got tough grades:<\/strong> 61% labelled its industrial carbon pricing (TIER) regime as ineffective or very ineffective, 57% had similar views on the province\u2019s funding programs, and 65% for consumer incentives. Regulations passed muster with 65% effective or neutral, while 61% felt industry incentives were either effective or neutral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8. British Columbia\u2019s industrial carbon pricing received strong praise.<\/strong> Two out of three respondents labelled it as effective, or very effective. Strong majorities felt B.C. regulations (83%), consumer incentives (77%) and funding programs (66%), industry incentives (55%) were robust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Ontario scored a slew of \u201cneutral\u201d tick marks, veering on the negative.<\/strong> It was mostlyfor its industrial carbon pricing policy, regulations and funding programs, suggesting more policy upgrades are needed to boost provincial climate action. Bright spot: 44% picked its consumer incentives as effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Quebec is the climate A grader.<\/strong> The province\u2019s industrial carbon pricing (92%), and consumer incentives (83%), scored the highest marks among the four largest provincial economies that account for roughly 80% of national emissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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