Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change concludes successful first day of her mission to China

GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 5, 2016 /CNW/ - During her first day in China, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, reaffirmed Canada's commitment to take concrete action to address climate change and to grow a clean economy.

Minister McKenna concluded a successful meeting with Guangdong Guangye Environmental Protection Industry Group Co. Ltd., during which she and a delegation of Canadian companies discussed opportunities for business-to-business partnerships within the growing Chinese market for clean-technology solutions.

Partnerships between Canadian and Chinese companies are growing; they bring together capital and expertise; and they leverage opportunities to promote clean growth and combat climate change in Canada, China, and emerging markets.

Minister McKenna highlighted Canada's areas of expertise in the clean-technology sector and the opportunity for partnerships that will allow Canadian companies to create well-paying sustainable jobs for the middle class.

She then traveled to Foshan City, where she participated in the official unveiling of the new Canada-China Technology Transfer Institute. This new technology facility will be built jointly by Ontario-based Canada CleanTech Capital (China) Inc. and Foshan University. The institute will be a major center in Guangdong for international collaboration in clean-technology research and development.

While in Guangzhou, Minister McKenna officially opened the new Consulate General of Canada in Guangzhou and emphasized the importance Canada places on its relationship with China. 

Quote

"The global demand for clean technology is on the rise, and China is a key player in the clean energy revolution. Canada is home to more than 750 clean-technology companies that can all be part of the solution. That's why our government is building Canada-China cooperation in a wide range of areas. Our government understands that the economy and the environment go hand in hand. Our business delegation here in China understands that too. This week, I am pleased to facilitate the discussion with businesses and with my counterparts on cutting-edge research and development and find solutions that will create a global clean-growth economy." 
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

• Market forces are inevitably moving to more clean energy. Clean-energy solutions are becoming cheaper and performing better.
• Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing major sources of new electricity around the world. In 2015, clean wind energy grew by 23 percent in Canada, representing over $3 billion in investment and creating 10 500 jobs.
• We provide support to Canadian industry through a variety of mechanisms:
  • direct-funding support across the innovation spectrum, with examples from our most-recent federal budget, including
    • $20 billion over 2 years in green infrastructure and public transit across the country;
    • $2 billion over 5 years to establish a low-carbon economy fund to support efforts towards clean growth and climate change, in partnership with our provincial and territorial governments;
    • More than $1 billion over 4 years to support clean technology, in the natural-resource sectors;
    • $195 million over 2 years to accelerate clean-energy technology research, development, and demonstration, in areas such as electric-vehicle charging technologies, renewables, smart grid and storage systems, and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector; and
    • $20 million to create the Canada Excellence Research Chairs, in fields related to clean and sustainable technology.
• In 2014, Canada's clean and sustainable technology industry employed over 55 600 people in almost 800 technology companies with proprietary technologies and know-how, located in all regions of the country. Most of these companies are small and medium-sized enterprises. Total revenues from this industry reached nearly $12 billion.

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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Caitlin Workman, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-938-9436; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll free)