Climate Caucus Responds to the 2026 Federal Budget
Resilient infrastructure is nation-building. Renewable electricity is sovereignty. Adapting to a changing climate is strength.
November 5, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON — Climate Caucus, the largest network of climate-forward municipal officials in Canada, today responded to the release of the federal budget with the following statement:
“The federal government’s commitment to clean electricity is crucial to our country’s success in the 21st century. This budget is an important signal for municipalities currently struggling with the very high costs of gas and oil, as well as Canadians everywhere. The electrification of Canada’s economy will lead to increased job creation, greater affordability and healthier communities.
Let’s be clear: our country cannot be master of her destiny without our communities being masters of theirs. Canada’s strength lies in its communities.
Without reliable public transit, a steelworker in Hamilton can’t get to work. Without climate-resilient infrastructure, a farmer can’t protect their crops. Without extreme heat measures, school children can’t learn as much as they should. Without flood protection, weather stalls local economies and increases insurance premiums for homeowners. All of this leads to further pressure on municipalities’ stretched budgets as they work to create safe, affordable and prosperous communities.
Municipalities need more tools to adapt to a rapidly changing world—including growing consequences of climate change in our communities. Federal priorities must recognise and respond to this. Climate Caucus looks forward to building stronger partnerships with the federal government on behalf of climate-forward local leaders across the country. Together, we can build a resilient, strong Canada,” said Zoe Grams, Executive Director of Climate Caucus.
As a member of the Green Budget Coalition, Climate Caucus also welcomes additional funding for EV charging infrastructure and home energy retrofits, though we encourage the federal government to move swiftly to support the protection of nature and the combatting of plastic pollution.
Climate Caucus’ pre-budget submission can be found here.
Key Facts:
- More than 60 percent of Canadians have been directly impacted by climate consequences in 2026 alone.
- Good climate policy is good economic policy: Climate-induced damages slow Canada’s economic growth by $25 billion annually; the equivalent to 50 percent in loss of Canada’s projected annual GDP growth.
- Insurable losses due to extreme weather events totaled $2.4 billion in 2025 after reaching a record-breaking $9.4 billion in 2024.
- Municipal leaders are on the frontlines of climate impacts. Maintaining already aging assets in good repair will cost an average of $112 billion each year, $80 billion of which municipalities are expected to pay. Climate change has added close to $9 billion each year to these costs, expected to rise to $14.3 billion each year by mid-century.
- Municipalities across the country are willing partners in the achievement of Canada’s housing targets, but housing will not be built on its own: it requires essential infrastructure which keeps people safe, well and able to contribute to their communities.
- Municipalities also require significantly more support for essential climate-resilient infrastructure so as to prepare their communities before the worst happens.
- Municipal leaders calling for ambitious climate policy speak on behalf of a vast majority of Canadians: 80 percent of Canadians say they are either very concerned, concerned, or moderately concerned about climate change and its potential impact on the future: an increase from 77 percent in July 2025 and substantially higher than the 62 percent recorded in 2024.
Climate Caucus is a non-partisan non-profit working at the intersection of climate and democracy. As the largest network of climate-forward local elected leaders in Canada, we produce original research, convene experts to support the needs of local elected officials, and lead advocacy campaigns to ensure that municipal priorities are reflected in decisions made by all orders of government.