In 2008, during one of the most significant economic crises our country had faced in decades, as mayor of Toronto I served as chair of the Ontario Auto Mayors. Our task was to ensure that Ottawa and Queen’s Park fought for, and saved, the tens of thousands of good union jobs that industry provides. Ultimately, they did, buying significant shares in U.S. automakers.

But eventually the giants, like General Motors, failed to fully keep their word. Just like today, promises made have not been kept. Notably, Stellantis still has not fulfilled its commitment to communities, workers and government to retool its Brampton plant.

Now, faced with threats from our neighbour to the south, we are, again, in a moment where our advanced manufacturing automobile industry is hemorrhaging jobs and at significant risk, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s controversial ads notwithstanding. Just like in 2008, Ottawa and the provinces need strong pressure to protect the jobs of today and develop the jobs of the future.

Multiplying threats

Mayors and councillors across Canada are also ringing the alarm bells for another reason. Not only are good jobs at risk: the very towns and cities in which we work and live are, too.

This summer our country was quite literally on fire from coast to coast to coast. More than 200 communities were affected by wildfires, not to mention flooding, air quality alerts, drought and extreme heat. The premiers of Manitoba and Saskatchewan both declared states of emergency.

Science shows that changes to our climate are driving this new reality we now face every spring and summer, that these changes are primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and that the world must cut fossil fuel use nearly in half by 2030 to prevent catastrophe. This is possible only if Canada does its part.

That’s why – on the eve of the federal budget, when Carney is expected to release his so-called climate competitiveness strategy – we are calling for the government to invest in true nation-building, job-creating projects, not more pipelines and fossil fuel subsidies.

Building a competitive economy

As local leaders representing more than 10 million Canadians, we are calling for projects that would link communities across Canada with clean electrical power and modern high-speed rail; build affordable, energy-efficient homes, including heat pumps; and support communities to withstand and recover from climate disasters.

These are the building blocks of a competitive and resilient economy. They are the building blocks of safe and prosperous communities.\

Why wouldn’t Carney, a climate expert, be prepared to take bold action to ensure that Canada is “climate competitive”? The answer, in part, lies with who the government is listening to. Oil and gas lobbyists have been received at more than 600 meetings since January, including 50 meetings with Energy Minister Tim Hodgson alone since the April election – an average of two a week.

READ MORE OF OUR WILDFIRE COVERAGE

That the government is meeting so often with proponents of old technologies, which are proven to cause irreversible harm, is all the more startling given the reality our communities are facing. The impacts of climate destabilization are widespread and devastating, from Jasper’s clean-up costs and massive home-insurance increases in Yellowknife to estimates of insured damages from the Flin Flon and La Ronde wildfire complexes reaching $300 million and counting. Without urgent action, Canada is on track for $100 billion per year in climate damages by 2050.

A double standard

Further, communities such as Jasper, Alberta, have been asked to repay part of the response costs to the disastrous wildfire that burned a third of the town – a clawback that will be devastating to its recovery.

Compare this to the fossil fuel majors that made $35 billion in profits in 2022 alone while significantly contributing to inflation across the country. Why should the government continue to subsidize foreign companies to profit while residents in Jasper are asked to repay disaster support?

In fairness, the federal government is expected to take serious and applaudable steps in the budget to address methane emissions. Such measures could even see Canada as a world leader in reducing methane emissions.

However, these steps will not be enough to secure Canada’s economic future or meet emission-reduction targets needed to keep our communities safe from summer after summer of life-threatening wildfires, oppressive smoke, damaging floods and evacuations.

No wonder a recent Leger poll shows that a majority of Canadians are worried about the changes in our climate, especially in Quebec, where Carney also drew much of the support that secured his victory this spring.

Mayors and councillors are worried, too. And they understand the pressures this government faces, especially in light of U.S. protectionism and industrial competition. As Carney recently reminded us, the geopolitical landscape has been forever transformed.

That’s why at this moment of existential economic crisis, Canada must invest in projects that create the jobs of the future and truly build this nation, not help burn it down.

David Miller is the co-chair of Elbows Up for Climate, a coalition of more than 250 mayors and councillors working to ensure that Canada prioritizes climate action and economic sovereignty; a former mayor of Toronto; former chair of the Ontario Auto Mayors; and the current managing director of the C40 Centre.

The Weekly Roundup

Get all our stories in one place, every Wednesday at noon EST.