COP30 in Belém, Brazil was a breath of fresh air. After years of climate gatherings in authoritarian regimes, it was inspiring to see Indigenous leadership and civil society return to a place of prominence in global climate discussions.

As a matter of fact, in Sharm El-Sheikh (COP27), Dubai (COP28) or Baku (COP29), civil society without COP badges was not given access to the People’s March. In contrast, at the public climate march on the streets of Belém on November 15, the music was loud and rhythmic. Sambas in the streets announced to the world that this Amazonian COP, with its frenetic energy, was different from the rest.

Amid this energy, Canada had a chance to show the world what climate leadership looks like. One key area of focus was on enhanced methane emissions from oil and gas production. Methane policy sits at the intersection of health, climate and economic incentives: strong measures protect human health, curb a greenhouse gas roughly 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the near term, and encourage the oil and gas industry to act. Reducing methane leaks is both effective and cost-saving.

As it happens, CAPE released polling a few weeks ago, alongside the federal budget, showing that nearly two-thirds of people in Canada (64.5 per cent) support stronger methane regulations. Support outweighs opposition by more than four to one and reaches almost 80 per cent among Liberal–NDP swing voters.

Properly regulating methane and its toxic co-pollutants isn’t just good for the climate. It’s one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to prevent asthma attacks, heart disease and premature deaths caused by polluted air.  But here’s the rub: Canada treats methane policy the same way a classic rock cover act treats Hotel California: It’s a greatest hit that Canada loves going back to, perhaps a bit too much.

Back at COP28 in Dubai, then-environment minister Steven Guilbeault took the stage to announce new, more ambitious methane targets for Canada. Yet back home, Canada struggled to get a concrete new policy over the line. The regulations inched forward over the next year-and-a-half, but ultimately died on the order paper with the fall of the Trudeau government.

Two years later, all hopes for progress on methane were pinned to Canada’s budget, with its much-vaunted “Climate Competitiveness Strategy.” While methane wasn’t left out, it wasn’t given pride of place, either. Canada pledged ‘enhanced’ methane regulations, but didn’t provide details on a timeline or next steps, making future accountability difficult at this critical juncture in the climate crisis.

Climate advocates hoped the budget was teeing up a COP-related announcement. But at a methane-focused panel at COP30’s Canada Pavilion, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin didn’t lay out policy specifics or a timeline for implementation. Instead, the minister largely repeated the same lines on methane from the budget, and before that, from flashy announcements from years past. “Enhanced methane regulations” still get applause, but the song is growing very stale.

It’s time for Canada to take inspiration from the streets of Belém, where tens of thousands shouted, drummed and danced in the searingly hot street while calling for greater climate action. This was a call for a new song: real and urgent climate ambition, especially from developed countries like Canada, to stave off the health impacts and potential mass human suffering from unchecked climate change.

It’s time Canada heeded the call, dropped the tired cover band act and made real strides on methane.

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Editor’s note: 

• The online survey of 1,013 adults across Canada was conducted by Nanos Research from October 23 to 28, 2025.
• Link to polling report: People in Canada want more done on methane

Dr Mili Roy is an Ontario physician, co-chair of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

Robb Barnes is the climate program director for the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.