Last week, Canada’s unemployment rate reached a 3-year high, due in large part to our over reliance on the fossil fuel economy. Now, people across the country are feeling the consequences for the short-sighted decisions made by previous governments.

But now we have an opportunity to turn things around. The Federal budget is expected to contain billions of dollars for infrastructure and grants for innovators and job makers. The big question: does oil get bailed out, or does our government invest in building the clean economy with the safe, clean and rewarding jobs we need?

We’ve partnered with the Green Economy Network, a coalition of labour, social justice and environmental groups to propose to the government a concrete plan to create One Million Climate Jobs within five years.

We know the Government has the best intentions for the country, and we just need to show them people across the country will support them if they make a shift towards a new economy.If we all join our voices, we can make a strong final push to show the government that we want public investment in clean technologies and industries that can get people back to work and for Canada to do its fair share in halting the climate crisis.

Our friends at the Green Economy Network put together a plan by economists and scientists to show how the government can create One Million Climate Jobs, while meeting, if not exceeding, our Paris commitments. The plan proposes investments into:

• Clean renewable energy that can power our homes, factories and transportation systems
• Energy efficiency and green buildings that can help us lower our energy use, lower our energy bills and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels
• Public transit and high speed rail that can help us move within and between our cities in a more affordable, safe and efficient way

Building a clean economy that respects the limits of our atmosphere can be done with investments equal to 5% of Canada’s federal budget. It’s the kind of investment that economists know will give our economy the boost it needs; but we need to remind the Minister of Finance that these investments need to focus on creating jobs now and into the future by transitioning our economy.

The very fact we can concretely envision creating One Million Climate Jobs is a huge victory for our community. Not too long ago, we were fighting Harper’s dream of betting our economy on the notion that we would become a fossil fuel superpower.

Today, thanks to the hard work from people across Canada and new leadership in Ottawa, climate change is at the center of the national conversation. Now, we can stop talking about problems and start talking about solutions. Instead of attempting to block Harper’s dangerous social and environmental policies, we can now push for the real solutions we need to address climate change.

Read the full One Million Climate jobs plan here: