May 6, 2021 - from Maclean's Magazine

By Mike Moffatt and John McNally

Canada’s level of climate ambition targeted this decade keeps climbing ever upwards. We went from having no clear plan to reach a 30 per cent emissions reduction target to now having a 40-45 per cent emissions reduction target—and a plan to reach almost all of it in less than two years. This is great for Canada. Targets and policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions fight climate change and create jobs in communities across the country.

In fact, our aspirations are so great that we have a new problem. This level of climate action is going to create too many jobs. Two big bottlenecks stand in the way of Canada’s climate ambition: a shortage of skilled labour and a shortage of housing. If we do not immediately address these, we will fail to hit our environmental targets and miss an opportunity for sustained economic growth.

Creating too many jobs is a problem because Canada does not currently have the available workforce to build these projects where they will occur. Even if it could get those workers, house prices are so high in those communities that it is unclear where they would be able to afford to live. If Canada wants to grow the economy, it needs to make sure it has the labour force and housing supply it will need to meet its climate targets...

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