Canada to chair North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Charlottetown to host 2017 trilateral meeting

OTTAWA, Sept. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada, the U.S. and Mexico today successfully concluded the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Council Session in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.

At the conclusion of this year's CEC Council Session, Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna assumed the role of Chair of the CEC for 2016-2017. The June 2017 CEC Council Session will be held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Minister McKenna was joined in Mexico by United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and Mexican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Rafael Pacchiano Alamán. The Session was the latest in a successful series of achievements for our countries, including the signing of the Paris Agreement in April and the North American Leaders' Summit in June.

This year's Council Session focused on our commitment to support strong and effective actions to address climate change and reduce short-lived climate pollutants, the ongoing development of the traditional ecological knowledge initiatives and the ongoing engagement of youth.

The Government of Canada is working to ensure a clean environment for all Canadians. Environmentally sustainable communities will help grow our middle class and secure a prosperous economy for future generations. The North American Leaders' Summit held earlier this year in Ottawa and the CEC meeting that has just concluded clearly show that Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are prepared to work together to deliver real results to address climate change and grow our economy as a continent.

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"Next year, Canadians will celebrate Canada's 150th birthday and it will be fitting to host my North American colleagues in 2017 in Charlottetown, the birthplace of our Confederation.

"In the spirit of the collaboration that united Canada, my counterparts in Mexico, the U.S. and I are embracing our renewed commitment to working hand in hand to grow a cleaner, stronger economy on a continental scale. From clean power to methane emission reduction to protecting species at risk, we have accomplished a lot together in 2016. I look forward to following through on the commitments made by our leaders in Ottawa this spring, and making North America cleaner, safer and more prosperous together."
– Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Associated link

23rd Regular Session of the CEC Council and Meetings of the Joint Public Advisory Committee 

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

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)