We use them when building our roads and bridges, constructing our skyscraper office towers and condos, and they are the literal foundations of our housing stock, no matter what the size. Building materials— including aluminum, cement, steel, and wood— are in nearly everything we construct, and a vital economic backbone for Canada in more ways than one. 

 

The good news for us: when it comes to the carbon footprint of these construction materials, Canada has a unique advantage. Thanks in large part to our country’s clean electricity grid (which is now 82% emissions-free), goods produced here often have a smaller carbon footprint than those produced elsewhere. When you combine this with the efficiency of our manufacturers and the fact that it’s less polluting to ship materials across a land border than across an ocean, it becomes clear that Canada’s advantage is also its opportunity.

 

In addition to cutting pollution, “buying clean” and investing in public construction also creates jobs at a crucial time when our economy is in recovery. These employment and economic benefits are outlined in our latest report which recommends three actions to take advantage of Canada’s low-carbon advantage.

Blue Green Canada looks forward to supporting governments across the country to implement these achievable actions designed to capitalize on Canada’s domestic carbon advantage and support Canadian workers.