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Ottawa, November 4, 2025 — Équiterre is worried about the repercussions that the federal budget will have on environmental and social issues and is concerned that there is a lack of coherence in how Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is responding to the threats facing the country.
What are being called “generational investments” in the budget may in fact undermine the well-being of future generations.
“This government wants to cut programs it deems ineffective, such as the tree-planting initiative, yet it doesn’t seem willing to apply the same level of scrutiny to the billions of dollars it is injecting into industrial projects with uncertain returns, such as carbon capture and storage,” states Charles-Édouard Têtu, Climate and Energy Policy Analyst at Équiterre.
A budget that will please polluting Industries
“Once again, we are doubling down on fossil fuels while pushing back the kinds of structural projects that would truly benefit the environment. The governement calls into question concrete environmental measures to please the oil and gas industry — such as the emissions cap — and instead seek to replace them with uncertain measures that depend largely on Alberta’s goodwill.”
The rollback on greenwashing regulations under the pretext of promoting investment is equally concerning.
Incoherent measures on the cost of living
The Department of National Defence is the only federal entity with binding energy-efficiency requirements, while Canadian families trying to lower their electricity bills are getting no support. Cuts to public transit funding also jeopardize efforts to reduce the cost of living.
Équiterre doesn’t see how eliminating the luxury tax on private jets and yachts could possibly help build a stronger Canada.
A few positive measures
Équiterre welcomes two measures announced in today’s federal budget:
The National School Food Program will become permanent; and
The Union Training and Innovation Program will be expanded, helping to re-qualify and train workers in key sectors of the energy transition.
Équiterre's offices are located on Indigenous lands that have not been ceded by treaty, which we now call Montreal and Quebec City. We recognize that Indigenous peoples have protected their territories since immemorial times and have used their traditional knowledge to guard the lands and waters. We are grateful to live on these lands and are committed to continuing our efforts to protect them. Read more »
