A line item in Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge’s mandate letter signals Ottawa is taking note of efforts within the sector to greenify its operations and curb climate change, which could allow the rookie Liberal to use targets as a “carrot” as the feds dole out infrastructure dollars, say some experts and advisors.
Speaking to Parliament Today, Dan Wilcock, a past president of the Canada Games Council who spent some time in the federal environment department, said the move carries significant weight, as “suddenly, there’s accountability” to move on the file.
“It doesn't necessarily mean they’re going to write large cheques,” said Wilcock, founder of the Canadian Alliance to UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. “I anticipate this will be much more about carrots — offering support, resources, pilot projects to assist movers to do a good job of this and show the way forward for others in the sector.”
Fresh off an election victory, St-Onge was handed the portfolio that was previously under Steven Guilbeault’s post at heritage. Carving out the standalone ministry was welcomed within the sporting community, and, in a bid to further trumpet the feds’ green bonafides, St-Onge was ordered to work with the sector “to find solutions to reduce its environmental footprint” and encourage athletes to discuss “the fight against climate change.”
