Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.

December 3, 2025|Memory

This brief is presented by the Réseau des CCTT and its Escouade Énergie, of which Nergica is a member, to the Commission des transports et de l'environnement as part of the specific consultations and public hearings on the document entitled: Consultation sur la cible de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre du Québec.

The CCTT Network and EÉ maintain that raising the GHG emissions reduction target to 2030 should be the preferred scenario. In the current context, we recommend not reducing the 37.5% target and using all means at our disposal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, prioritizing reductions made in Quebec and supporting crucial sectors of our economy.

Quebec must maintain and strengthen its strategic choices in terms of energy transition and support its innovation ecosystem, which form the technological foundations for moving away from fossil fuels and support key segments of our economy.

It is imperative that we step up our efforts to meet our GHG reduction commitments. Failure to do so would mean deferring the financial burden of measures until later, and increasing costs for the population as a whole, which could result in increased financial insecurity for the poorest.

List of recommendations

The EA recommends no reduction in the 37.5% target set out in the Act. Indeed, the multiple deleterious effects that such a reduction would have on Quebec's decarbonization trajectory (with deferrals making the necessary future efforts even greater), which would be slowed down, on the economy (including its export capacities) and on the energy transition innovation ecosystem, a sector in which Quebec could assert itself as a leading player.

The EÉ recommends using all available means, including purchases and reductions outside SPEDE, to achieve carbon neutrality, while prioritizing reductions made in Quebec.

To this end, EÉ would like to see continued support for crucial sectors of the economythrough the following actions:

Staying the course on electrification of transport and other uses
Continue to develop bioenergy and green hydrogen skills and sectors that are difficult to decarbonize and electrify
Continue to encourage RCMs and municipalities to support the transition locally and transform their practices in the field
Promote networking between all players, including society, to encourage the implementation of effective projects that are well accepted by the population
Maintain and enhance government assistance programs for decarbonization, ensuring that these levers are integrated into public policy.
Strengthen the role of innovative materials, circularity and low-carbon processes in public policy.

EÉ recommends strengthening the renewable energy innovation chain through financial assistance programs and appropriate tax measures.This chain is an essential lever for achieving the 37.5% greenhouse gas reduction target. This recommendation would accelerate the adoption of solutions developed in Quebec, and support innovative companies in all regions. Ultimately, this support would help position Quebec as a leading player in the North American energy ecosystem, while creating sustainable jobs and helping to achieve provincial climate objectives.

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