Ryan M. Katz-Rosene

A woman bikes along the waterfront in Toronto as wildfire smoke fills the city, on July 15, 2026. Climate change is creating new pressures on households and economies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura Proctor

As the climate breaks down, costs go up: Welcome to ‘climateflation’

Fossil-fuel dependence, the costs of adapting to a changing climate and the transition to cleaner energy are all driving up costs.
One of the proposed benefits of Alto is that electrified, high-speed rail will help Canada reduce emissions and meet its climate targets. (Getty Images/Unsplash+)

Proposed high‑speed rail will not make a big dent in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions

A high-speed rail line could operate without producing significant emissions. But this doesn’t mean it would substantially help Canada’s mitigation efforts.
Anti-carbon tax protesters wave signs and chant slogans as they block a westbound lane of the Trans Canada highway near Cochrane, Alta., in April 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Who really killed Canada’s carbon tax? Friends and foes alike

The axing of the consumer carbon tax marks a major turning point in Canadian climate policy. It fell victim to misinformation and populist attacks.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces a new high-speed rail network in the Toronto-Québec City corridor, in Montréal on Feb.19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Canada is one step closer to high‑speed rail, but many hurdles remain

While the announcement of a high-speed rail line between Québec City and Toronto is a milestone, multiple hurdles must be cleared for this project to see the light of day.

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