Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act

Whereas Canada has ratified the Paris Agreement, signed at Paris on December 12, 2015, which came into force in 2016;Whereas the Paris Agreement acknowledges the need for an effective and progressive response to the urgent threat of climate change on the basis of the best available scientific knowledge and recognizes the imperative of the creation of decent work and quality jobs consistent with Canada’s nationally determined contribution;Whereas the Government of Canada has committed to developing a plan to set Canada on a path to achieve a prosperous, net-zero-emissions future by 2050, supported by public participation and expert advice;Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that its plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 should contribute to making Canada’s economy more resilient, inclusive and competitive;Whereas climate change is a global problem that requires immediate and ambitious action by all governments in Canada — as well as by industry, labour, Indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations and individual Canadians — and has disproportionate impacts, including on vulnerable groups and individuals;Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to undertaking measures for climate change mitigation and to achieving and exceeding the target for 2030 set out in its nationally determined contribution that has been communicated in accordance with the Paris Agreement and in its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act;Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that a net-zero-emissions future presents opportunities for economic growth, the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs and the increased participation of equity-seeking groups in a net-zero economy;Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to seeing Canadians benefit from and contribute to the building of a net-zero economy;Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to achieve a fair and equitable net-zero economy in order to support the future and quality of life of workers and their communities, including by fostering the creation of sustainable jobs and implementing measures to assist workers in the shift to a net-zero economy;Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change will have varied effects across different regions, communities and sectors;Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes and supports the International Labour Organization’s Resolution Concerning Sustainable Development, Decent Work and Green Jobs adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2013 and the associated guidelines on sustainable economies endorsed by the International Labour Organization’s Governing Body through a decision adopted on November 5, 2015;Whereas the Government of Canada’s approach to building a net-zero economy will be guided by the following principles:(a) adequate, informed and ongoing dialogue on a labour force and people-centered sustainable jobs approach should engage relevant stakeholders and partners, including through social dialogue, to build strong social consensus in the shift to a net-zero economy;(b) policies and programs in support of sustainable jobs should(i) support the creation of decent work, meaning good-paying, high-quality jobs — including jobs in which workers are represented by a trade union that has entered into a collective agreement — as well as job security, social protection and social dialogue,(ii) recognize local and regional needs,(iii) account for the cultural values, strengths and potential of workers and communities,(iv) provide an environment in which enterprises, workers, investors and consumers can contribute to achieving sustainable and inclusive economies and societies, and(v) advance the well-being of workers and communities, as well as the achievement of Canada’s nationally determined contribution communicated in accordance with the Paris Agreement;(c) a sustainable jobs approach should be inclusive and address barriers to employment with an emphasis on encouraging the creation of employment opportunities for groups underrepresented in the labour market, including women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized individuals, 2SLGBTQI+ and other equity-seeking groups; and(d) international cooperation should foster strengthened global efforts to advance the creation of sustainable jobs and ensure a level playing field and inform Canadian approaches to support workers and communities in the shift to a net-zero economy;Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to collaborating with Canadian workers, Indigenous peoples, trade unions, employers, industry, business, communities, non-governmental organizations and the governments of the provinces and territories, which all have a role to play in building a net-zero economy;Whereas the governments of the provinces and territories have an important role to play within their jurisdiction to support the shift to a net-zero economy;Whereas trade unions in particular have an important role to play in representing the interests of workers in building a net-zero economy;Whereas relevant federal entities, including those focused — at the national and regional level — on matters such as skills development, the labour market, rights at work, economic development and emissions reduction, are committed to working in leadership roles in their respective areas of responsibility to advance the creation of sustainable jobs in support of a net-zero economy;Whereas the Parliament of Canada enacted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act on June 21, 2021, and the Government of Canada is committed to strengthening its collaboration with Indigenous peoples with respect to a net-zero economy and the creation of sustainable jobs and to taking the Indigenous knowledge of Indigenous peoples into account when carrying out the purposes of this Act;Whereas Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on March 11, 2010, which recognizes the right of persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others;And whereas the Government of Canada is committed to a sustainable jobs approach that is inclusive and addresses barriers to employment for persons with disabilities in Canada;Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: