Quebec

Sector: Regional Government

Population:

> 7,651,500 people (2006). 

Carbon Footprint:

> 90.9 million tonnes CO₂e (2003); 12.1 tonnes CO₂e per capita. 

TARGETS

> Between 2006-2010: reduce fuel consumption by government departments and agencies by 20%.
> By 2010: set new emissions standards light-duty vehicles sold in Quebec.
> By 2012: reduce total province emissions by 10 million tonnes to 84 million tonnes CO₂e emissions (equivalent to 1.5% below 1990 levels). Increase public transport use by 8% to save 80,000 tonnes of CO₂e.
> By 2015: increase hydroelectric energy generation by 1,467MW to avoid up to 2.5 million tonnes CO₂e emissions annually. Build 4,000MW of wind power. Realise energy savings targets set by the Agency for Energy Efficiency: savings target of 8TWh for Hydro-Quebec, savings target of 2 million tonnes of oil for the petroleum products sector, savings target of 350 million cubic metres for natural gas sector.

Achievements

> Reduced greenhouse gas emissions from existing public buildings by 15% between 1990 and 2002.
> Doubled commuter train use in the greater Montreal area in the last 10 years.
> Avoided over 108 million tonnes CO₂e emissions with hydroelectric power generation from 1990 to 2004.

Benefits

> By 2010: estimated energy efficiency investments in Hydro-Quebec will provide customers with over CND$1 billion in cost savings and avoid generation of 5 million tonnes CO₂e emissions.
> By 2012: estimated production of 3,000MW of new wind energy will produce nearly CND$5 billion in investment and avoid generation of 2.9 million tonnes CO₂e emissions annually.
> By 2015: estimated energy efficiency efforts will result in savings of CND$2.5 billion annually, will cut emissions by 6.7 million tonnes CO₂e annually, and will help avoid release of 20 million tonnes CO₂e emissions.

Low Carbon Solutions

Background

Located in eastern Canada, the province of Quebec is the largest province in Canada by area (1,542,056 km² of land and water) and the second largest province by population (7,651,500 people in 2006). Global temperatures are expected to rise dramatically nearer the poles over the next century and Quebec faces possible climate change impacts including: sea level rise and the resultant flooding and loss of coastline; variations in precipitation, heat and drought; and permafrost warming and associated ground instability. To address these concerns, Quebec is actively implementing strategies to achieve a 10 million tonne reduction in CO₂ equivalent by 2012 – a 1.5% cut in emissions below 1990 levels.

To fund its CND$1.2 billion commitment, the Quebec government has introduced a hydrocarbon levy that is based on the level of CO₂e emissions released by each form of fossil fuel to be charged to energy distributors operating within the province. Quebec anticipates the levy will generate CND$200 million a year, and will deposit the revenue in a Green Fund that was created with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Act in 2006. Quebec is the first Canadian government to develop a levy of this type.

Energy saving efforts are co-ordinated through Quebec’s Agency for Energy Efficiency (Agence de l’efficacité énergétique), and have already achieved a decrease in energy consumption per unit of GDP over the past 20 years. Quebec has required all regulated energy distributors (gas and electricity) to develop comprehensive energy efficiency plans since 2000. In 2006, the mandate of the Agency was expanded to cover all markets and all energy forms, and set specific energy savings targets for the natural gas, petroleum and electricity sectors. Since 1990, government energy efficiency measures for public buildings have achieved a 15% cut in emissions. By 2010, Quebec aims to further cut building energy consumption by 10% to 14% of 2003 levels.

A member of The Climate Group since February 2007, the Quebec government has a strong history of collaborating with a range of partners in its pursuit of GHG emissions reductions. Between 1990 and 2003, Quebec’s industrial sector has reduced its GHG emissions by 7% while Quebec’s Gross Provincial Product (GPP) increased by 35% during the same period. To build on this positive track, the Quebec government is currently negotiating agreements with its industrial sectors. The global goal is to achieve additional GHG emission reductions of 900,000 tonnes CO₂e from the business-as-usual trend for the 2008-2012 overall period. Quebec is also a committed partner to a number of national and international collaborations targeting GHG emissions reductions, including: the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action Plan of 2001, and the Institut de l’énergie et de l’environnement de la Francophonie. The Quebec government actively supported Canada’s ratification of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. Canada’s objective under this Protocol is a 6% reduction annually in CO₂e emissions under the 1990 level for the 2008-2012 period. Furthermore, the Quebec Government works with a number of Quebec environmental non-governmental organisations to develop a public-awareness campaign focusing on strategies the public can use to decrease their climate impact.

Roughly 94% of Quebec’s electricity comes from hydroelectricity, with the result that only 1.7% of Quebec’s GHG emissions comes from electricity generation. Much of the hydroelectricity supplied in Quebec is generated by the publicly-owned hydroelectric company Hydro-Québec, which has a generating capacity of 34,500MW and is the world’s third largest producer of hydroelectric power. Quebec actively encourages growth in hydroelectric power generation, with 1,467MW of new electricity to be produced by 2012. Additionally, Quebec is planning to develop a portfolio of 4,500MW of hydroelectric projects to be commissioned beyond 2015. Quebec is also expanding its wind power portfolio with a commitment to increase wind-generated electricity by 4,000MW by 2015. Biofuels from agricultural, forest and urban waste also feature in Quebec’s energy portfolio, and a pilot cellulosic ethanol plant is scheduled to begin operation in 2008.

Quebec has the lowest GHG emissions per capita of any other Canadian province or territory. In 2003, Quebec emitted 90.9 million tonnes CO₂e, roughly 12.3% of all Canadian emissions. On a per capita basis, this equates to 12.1 tonnes of CO₂e per person - against the Canadian average of 23.4 tonnes of CO₂e per person. Some reasons behind this record include the good performance of its manufacturing sector, increased use of public transportation, a more energy-efficient automobile fleet, and the prominence of hydroelectricity in its energy portfolio. Quebec is a leader in addressing GHG emissions reductions, submitting climate change action plans in 1995, 2000, and 2006. Quebec’s most recent climate change action plan, the 2006-2012 Climate Action Plan: Quebec and Climate Change - A Challenge for the Future, includes financial commitments of CND$1.2 billion over six years to meet precise reduction objectives. In conjunction with the existing energy strategy and the public transport policy, Quebec has created a comprehensive emissions management plan to expand renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, reduce transport-related emissions, increase public transport use and develop new technologies.

The transportation sector is the largest source of GHG emissions in Quebec, accounting for 37.4% of all emissions in 2003. Quebec invests roughly CND$350 million annually in public transportation projects and has the highest rate of public transport use in Canada. Projects include a CND$700,000 feasibility study for a light rail transit system in Quebec City, and a CND$560 million investment in new mass transit infrastructure in Montreal. Quebec will invest over CND$2 billion between 2006-2012 in future public transportation initiatives, including an overhaul of underground subway cars and developing a north-east rail line from Montreal. Quebec is also addressing private transportation, and in 2010 will implement new emission standards for vehicles sold within Quebec. Also, Quebec has set a 2012 target to have ethanol represent at least 5% of all fuel sold in Quebec (about 300 million litres).