On May 8, 2023, the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC) hosted a roundtable that engaged four federal departments and agencies alongside members of MCAC and CIPH that represent key businesses in the plumbing, heating, and construction industries. The event included presentations from the National Research Council, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and Natural Resources Canada. The presenters then joined four roundtables, where discussions focused on the creation of pathways to implement key technologies to meet Canada’s net-zero goals. A white paper that details results of the roundtables can be found here.
Roundtable Background
Over the past several years, the Canadian government has taken significant steps to accelerate their long-term commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. These actions have focused heavily on addressing the carbon emissions of new builds and retrofits, which has required the industry to be at the forefront of the low-carbon transition. The transition to a net-zero economy requires a level of integrated collaboration across federal departments, across levels of government, and between industry and government. This transition is being worked on from multiple angles and by multiple parties and will face significant difficulties in terms of regulatory harmonization and technology implementation.
Additionally, the sector is facing a significant labor shortage, with significant additional difficulties expected in the coming months and years due to forecasted retirements and growth in worker demand. The federal government has created several supports aimed at providing resources to industry and organizations working within the sector, including the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative, the Codes Acceleration Fund, additional funding within the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Green Priority area, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy, and the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program. These actions show that priority is being placed on achieving net-zero goals and indicates a willingness to work collaboratively to get the job done.
The May 8 roundtable is another pillar of the partnership between industry and government to address the practical and logistical hurdles that need to be overcome as a country to achieve net-zero in the built environment.
