What we do
About
This resource provides clear, accessible updates on how federal and provincial decisions impact Canada's climate commitments. It is a project of the Institute for Environment, Conservation and Sustainability at the University of Toronto Scarborough.
What is considered backtracking?
The Climate Backtracker identifies backtracking in programs and legislation at the national and provincial levels.
Delays in promised programs
Initiatives or programs that were officially announced or committed to and are postponed or slowed down beyond their expected timelines. Such delays impede timely progress on climate goals and can signal a lack of political will or shifting priorities.
Defunding of ongoing programs
Reducing or completely withdrawing financial support from existing climate programs. This disrupts ongoing work and leads to scaling back or shutdown of activities.
Quietly abandoned programs
Programs that cease functioning without formal public consultations or explanations. They often end through the decision to withhold renewal, emphasizing financial burdens.
Rollbacks of existing legislation
Repealing, weakening, or removing previously established laws or regulations designed to protect the environment or reduce emissions. Rollbacks reverse prior progress and remove legal requirements for climate action.
Rhetorically reframed legislation that weakens climate action
Obscuring the language, softening compliance, or framing climate policies to make reductions in climate emissions or climate ambition less visible or directly acknowledged. It softens public perception of backtracking by disguising adverse changes behind more neutral or positive language.
Legislation supporting extractive infrastructure projects
Promoting swift construction and expansion of energy facilities, especially those involving fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal. This prioritizes energy supply concerns, trade, and economic growth over long-term climate goals by locking in continued fossil fuel dependency.
Explore documented policy rollbacks.
Browse our tracking of federal climate and environmental policy changes across Canada.