For Immediate Release
June 24, 2020

ST. JOHN’S (NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) has provided provincial and federal decision-makers with its vision for a clean growth economic recovery for the province.

“There is a growing sense that investments being made into economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis in Canada should not just provide short term work as stimulus, but also longer term benefits for both economy and environment,” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Executive Director. “NEIA agrees with that sentiment, and we are offering a series of specific recommendations for the consideration of decision-makers in that regard.”

The recommendations range from accelerating electrification efforts to investing in regional transmission infrastructure to unlock the potential of the province’s wealth of renewable energy assets. “We have identified a number of initiatives that we believe can significantly contribute to the diversification of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy, and position us as one of the leading clean growth jurisdictions in the world,” said Hanley.

In some cases, like finding value from waste materials, the recommendations leverage existing strengths of the sector. In other cases, it is recommended that steps be quickly taken to define new areas of economic opportunity for the province – such as the production of hydrogen.

Download Recommendations

An important component of the recommendations is investment into a deliberate energy transition for Newfoundland and Labrador, of which Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry needs to be a key driver said Hanley. “Our offshore industry provides the basis from which enormous clean growth and diversification is possible,” said Hanley. “Its commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 – backed by its substantial resources and the experience and expertise found within it – can lead to transformational change for Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy.” If the industry’s immediate future is threatened, said Hanley, so too are the province’s best chances of becoming a global clean growth leader.

Hanley said that NEIA’s recommendations stem from work related to the ongoing development of a growth strategy for the clean technology and environmental services sector. “For the past year we have been working within our membership, key industry stakeholders, and our government partners towards the development of a plan to stimulate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Hanley. “So these recommendations are not just a reaction to thee current crisis; they are based on a significant amount of information we have accrued and analyzed since last summer.”

“I would like to thank NEIA’s members for the time, effort, and expertise that they have provided in helping craft these recommendations for Newfoundland and Labrador’s economic recovery.”

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.

Media Contact:
Kieran Hanley
kieran@neia.org

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