FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2025
(Ottawa) — With the federal government releasing key elements of its Sustainable Jobs Action Plan (SJAP) and the newly published report from the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council, Blue Green Canada (BGC) says climate action must be treated as an economic necessity — and workers and communities must be at the centre of how the transition is planned and carried out.
Climate action is already reshaping Canada’s economic landscape, from clean power development and modern manufacturing to housing, transportation, and the skilled trades needed to build it all. BGC warns that success depends on whether federal plans reflect real conditions on the ground and ensure workers have a meaningful role in shaping decisions around industrial change.
“Canada can’t build anything — new homes, clean power, modern transit, or low-carbon industries — without the workers who make it possible,” said Meg Gingrich, President of Blue Green Canada. “Climate action is not optional if we want a healthy economy. But it only succeeds when workers are at the centre of the plan—not pushed far from the shop floor where their real-world impacts are easily ignored.””
The newly released Partnership Council report reinforces the importance of decent work, real training pathways, strong regional planning, and community-led transition supports — themes raised consistently by BGC, workers, unions, local leaders, and community organizations across the country.
However, BGC cautions that the report’s broad recommendations will fall short unless they are supported with coordinated implementation across federal departments and levels of government and anchored by industrial strategy commitments that ensure accountability.
ALGOMA STEEL SHOWS WHY PLANNING MUST START EARLY
In Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Algoma Steel’s shift from coal-based steelmaking to electric-arc furnaces (EAF) — an important step to reduce emissions — has already contributed to the displacement of more than 1,000 workers. It is one of Canada’s clearest real-world examples of industrial decarbonization underway.
The scale of the layoffs shows why transition supports and industrial strategy developed through government, employer, and labour collaboration must be built into planning from the beginning, not introduced after workers are already facing job losses. Earlier coordination — including ensuring adequate clean electricity supply for the planned two EAFs — could have reduced the impact on workers and the community.
“Climate action must happen, and industrial strategy is how we can do it. However, when major industrial change moves faster than the supports meant to help workers through it, communities pay the price,” said Christine Jones, Industrial Decarbonization Manager at Blue Green Canada. “If government listens to workers and reflects the themes that have emerged across consultations and Partnership Council work so far, Canada can cut emissions while strengthening good jobs. That only works when planning starts on day one.”
BGC is calling on the federal government to ensure the Sustainable Jobs Action Plan:
With major economic shifts already underway — from clean manufacturing to the energy transition — BGC says climate action and worker support must move together.
“Workers know what’s changing in their industries and what’s needed to make transitions fair and successful,” Gingrich added. “A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. The Action Plan must reflect regional realities, treat climate action as the necessity it is, and provide concrete mechanisms to ensure transitions happen as fairly as possible.”
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ABOUT BLUE GREEN CANADA
Blue Green Canada advocates for meaningful worker participation in government decision-making, advancing worker- and community-centered strategies that reduce emissions, create sustainable jobs, and support a fair transition. BGC’s vision is a sustainable, equitable society where workers and communities thrive in a low-carbon economy.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jamie Kirkpatrick, Blue Green Canada jkirkpatrick at bluegreencanada.ca
