Liberals promise $1B over 10 years to restore big lakes and river systems

GRANBY, Que. — Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising to spend $1 billion over a decade to restore Canada’s big lakes and river systems.

He says a re-elected Liberal government would also build on its budget commitments by fully funding the creation of a new Canada Water Agency to co-ordinate freshwater initiatives, with a launch set for 2022.

Trudeau made the announcement in Granby, Que., a day after unveiling his party’s first major climate change promise of the campaign.

On Sunday, the Liberal leader vowed to regulate total emissions from Canada’s oil and gas producers if re-elected.

The plan also earmarks $2 billion to create jobs for fossil fuel workers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, and requires that half the cars sold in Canada be zero-emission by 2030.

Sunday’s announcement was nearly drowned out by a crowd of angry protesters who blared sirens and chanted often expletive-filled slogans.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Aug. 30, 2021.

The Canadian Press