Natural Resources Canada
97/100
December 4, 1997

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOWS LEADERSHIP BY REDUCING ITS OWN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

OTTAWA — The Government of Canada is on track to meet and likely beat its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its own government operations. That commitment is to get to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by the year 2005.

In a report released today, Natural Resources Minister Ralph Goodale and Environment Minister Christine Stewart described the leadership being shown by the federal government in reducing the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The document entitled "Emission Reductions from Federal Operations" is the second annual progress report under the Climate Change Voluntary Challenge and Registry (VCR) program.

"Based on our progress to date, total greenhouse gas emissions from federal facilities will be down by 18 per cent in 2000 and 27 per cent in 2005," Minister Goodale said. "Through our Federal Buildings Initiative (FBI), the Federal Industrial Boiler Program (FIBP) and our FleetWise program, federal departments are steadily improving the government's energy efficiency, lowering its energy consumption and its energy costs."

The government will realize energy savings of $20 million a year due to the FBI alone. By 1996-97, the FIBP led to a drop of 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. FleetWise has assisted federal vehicle fleet managers to reduce energy use — for example, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has been able to cut the size of its fleet by 28 per cent since April 1995, and the RCMP now has 90 vehicles operating on alternative fuels.

"These programs and other federal government activities are having an increasing positive effect on the energy efficiency of government operations," said Minister Stewart. "Energy use within the Government of Canada decreased by almost 6 per cent between 1990 and

1996, and greenhouse gas emissions dropped by almost 8 per cent. Such improvements put us on track to beat our VCR commitment by 2005."

Minister Goodale added, "We are pushing hard for private businesses to go faster and deeper in their participation under the VCR to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So it's only appropriate for the federal government — a big energy consumer itself — to set a positive example."

Many departments are undertaking innovative means to reduce emissions. For example, Environment Canada is purchasing wind power from ENMAX, Calgary's Electric System, for the department's facilities in Alberta. As well, NRCan and Environment Canada have signed letters of intent with Ontario Hydro to purchase "green power" for their federal facilities in Ontario. And NRCan's Bell's Corners Complex in Nepean, Ontario, has incorporated a Solarwall™ unit into its building to heat its ventilation air.

For more information contact:
John Embury
Press Secretary
Minister's Office
Natural Resources Canada
(613) 996-2007

Nick Marty
Energy Efficiency Branch
Natural Resources Canada
(613) 996-6629

Daniel Brock
Office of the Minister
of Environment
(819) 997-1441

The report will be available at http://eeb-dee.nrcan.gc.ca or by calling (613) 995-6950.