Ottawa, July 13, 2010: Today, Canada's largest
business association released the second in a series of
reports calling for ways that the energy sector can
bolster Canadian prosperity.
Energy is Canada's strategic advantage and encouraging the
development of the energy sector and its entire value chain will
leverage its vast resource base, providing even greater benefits
for all Canadians-more jobs, more investment and more tax revenues
that can be used to pay for Canadian social programs and other
government priorities.
A long-range, inclusive Canadian Sustainable Energy Strategy
would allow the energy sector to develop sustainable
industries-including chemical manufacturing, carbon capture and
storage, resource upgrading, advanced nuclear manufacturing and the
manufacturing of energy production parts and equipment-farther up
the value chain.
"Energy is one of Canada's greatest resources and it is vital to
the economy in every part of the country,' says Perrin Beatty,
President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. " Real
opportunities remain to create even more value for Canada than it
already gets from the energy sector-more jobs, more investment and
more tax revenues."
In Powering up Canadian prosperity: Growing the
energy-sector value chain, the Canadian Chamber of
Commerce explores actions that would help to enable growth in the
entire energy value chain. The recommendations to the federal
government include:
- Achieve harmonization or mutual recognition of regulations and
assessments among governments in Canada and, in the long term,
among governments in North America, so that investments in the
energy sector are not hampered by excessive red tape. The goal must
be "one project, one assessment."
- Continue to provide financing and incentives for the research,
development and commercialization of new energy technologies.
- Invest in smart electricity infrastructure across Canada and
improve the east-west linkages across Canada.
- Develop a cross-Canada agreement to recognize credentials for
skilled workers.
- Provide advice and assistance to potential investors in the
energy sector-particularly SMEs-to help them collaborate on large
projects.