Toronto | Traditional, Unceded Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples | November 10, 2025 — The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is deeply concerned by Sunday’s announcement by Ministers Julie Dabrusin and George Hodgson outlining Budget 2025’s new Climate Competitiveness Strategy.
While framed as a plan to strengthen Canada’s economic future, the strategy once again directs public funds toward fossil fuel projects without fully accounting for their health and climate impacts.
“No matter how many times federal ministers repeat the same talking points about Canada’s lacklustre climate competitive strategy, it doesn’t change the fact that directing public funds towards fossil fuel projects without fully accounting for their health and climate impacts puts the wellbeing of people in Canada at risk,” said Dr. Samantha Green, family physician and President-elect of CAPE. “Ignoring these risks means disregarding both the science and the human consequences, including worsening respiratory illness, heat-related deaths, and land, water and air contamination.”
CAPE warns that the government’s approach undermines Canada’s own climate commitments and fails to protect people’s health, particularly as the proposed oil and gas emissions cap faces elimination, toxic pollutant management remains unaddressed, and greenwashing legislation is poised to be weakened.
“Canada’s federal government needs to remember it’s there to protect Canadians, not enrich wealthy oil and gas corporations,” Dr. Green added.
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About CAPE:
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is a physician-directed non-profit organization working to secure human health by protecting the planet. Since its founding in 1994, CAPE’s work has achieved substantial policy victories in collaboration with many partners in the environmental and health movements. From coast to coast to coast, the organization operates throughout the country with regional committees active in most provinces and all territories. cape.ca
Media contact:
Loujain Kurdi
Communications Manager | Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
647-762-9168
media@cape.ca