Climate

The Federal Election: should we fear for the environment?

The federal election is set to take place on April 28, and its outcome will have a major impact on environmental and social policies over the next several years.

In an uncertain global political context, where our neighbours to the south are backtracking on environmental protection, it's more important than ever that we stay well-informed and be prepared to act. The choices that we make collectively will have direct consequences on our ability to respond to the various crises that we are experiencing.

At Équiterre, we want to help you make an informed choice. That's why, along with our partners in the Vire au vert coalition, we've asked the political parties about their environmental commitments: their responses will be available shortly. 

Did you miss our webinar on the environmental issues at stake in this election? You can watch it here to help obtain a better understanding of the challenges that lie ahead, and discover what you can do to help put environmental and social issues “front and centre” during the election.

Food
Local food: just a passing fad?

We're hearing more and more about local food, and that's good news! But for it to be more than just a fad, it has to be accessible to everyone. Today, while demand for local food is growing, there are still barriers that remain: limited access to local produce, fierce competition, and institutional costs.

Where to start? Our institutions—schools, hospitals, daycare centres—which serve thousands of meals every day, have a key role to play in making local food a vital part of our diet, supporting our farmers and reducing their environmental footprint.

At Équiterre, we're actively working to make local food the norm. For over 30 years, we've been partnering with various institutions to promote local produce, notably through initiatives such as Commun'assiette, which helps institutions overcome the challenges of buying locally.

Advertising is everywhere. It shapes our desires, our habits... and it encourages us to buy more, to prematurely replace what still works, and to always want more—an over-consumption that fuels the climate crisis and weighs heavily on household budgets. Despite all this, there is still the belief that advertising has little or no influence.

In Canada, the amount spent on advertising has exploded, reaching nearly $21 billion by 2023. Yet there are few measures in place to control its environmental impact. This blind spot in the fight against climate change deserves our full attention.

Équiterre addresses this situation in its latest report by proposing that the Consumer Protection Act be amended to require that products be labelled to show their environmental footprint, and to prohibit such things as messaging that encourages the replacement of items that are still functional.

We need to do better, because Canada ranks among the top 5 most wasteful countries in the world; in fact, as of March 26, we've already reached our resource limit for the year.

And what if advertising were used instead to promote sustainable ways of consuming, such as buying second-hand, renting, and sharing. Wouldn't that be great?