The UMQ welcomes the Plan for a Green Economy 2030

The UMQ welcomes the Plan for a Green Economy 2030

The Union of Quebec Municipalities (UMQ) welcomes the Plan for a Green Economy 2030 (PEV) unveiled by the Minister of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, Benoit Charette. The UMQ nevertheless believes that it is necessary to go further, especially in terms of transporting people and goods.

“For the climate crisis, there will be no vaccine! We must act now to prepare for the crises of tomorrow and the PEV is an interesting and necessary step forward in the face of this collective project that awaits us. However, the fight against climate change requires colossal efforts. Electrification should not exclude other options to achieve the objectives set forth by the PEV. The evolving nature of this roadmap should be an opportunity in particular to resolve the issue of financing public transport and to put in place measures to promote a modal shift from road to sea and rail. It should be remembered that the transport of people and goods alone generates more than 40% of GHG emissions ”, declared the president of the UMQ, president of the Committee on climate change of the Union and mayor of Sainte-Julie, Suzanne Roy.

Among the measures that the Union considers interesting in the EPI, let us mention, among others:

• The electrification of the Quebec economy, particularly to electrify the urban bus fleets ($ 217 million);
• The establishment of standard (4,500) and rapid (2,500) charging stations;
• The recovery of thermal waste from heat-emitting industries ($ 75 million);
• Greening and the fight against Urban heat island ($ 111 million);
• Adaptation to the risks of flooding ($ 97 million) and coastal erosion ($ 76 million).