The plan will involve speeding up timelines in the existing regulation under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).
Canada Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to a collaborative, productive approach to clean growth and climate change, and we will continue working with all provinces and territories to build the low-carbon economy of the future.”
The federal government said that it is working closely with provinces and territories to finalize the plan at the First Ministers’ Meeting, in December.
McKenna was quoted by Independent as saying that the plants, located in four provinces, generate nearly 10% of the country's total CO2 emissions.
Shutting down all the coal-fired plants will eliminate the equivalent in emissions of 1.3 million cars from roads, or five megatons of greenhouse gas emissions, she said.
Currently, 80% of Canada's electricity is produced from clean sources such as hydroelectric power, nuclear, wind and solar.
McKenna has set a goal to make 90% of Canada’s power generation to emit no greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
McKenna said: “As part of our government's vision for a clean growth economy, we will be accelerating the transition from traditional coal power to clean energy by 2030.”
The Minister also set a new ambitious goal of cutting total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% by 2050 from the levels recorded in 2005.
Earlier this month, the UK government announced plans to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2025, as it switches to generating energy from renewable sources.
Image: Currently, 80% of Canada's electricity is produced from clean sources. Photo: courtesy of dan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
