Big Spending Could Create Over 100,000 Green Jobs in Alberta; Greenpeace
CALGARY – A new Greenpeace report says Alberta could create over 100,000 jobs through an ambitious slate of renewable energy, mass transit and energy efficiency projects.
The report, released Friday, says that by boosting spending above current promises the NDP government could replace the thousands of jobs being lost in the oil and gas sector with green jobs.
Greenpeace says the government could create 48,500 jobs if it spends $2.25 billion over five years to improve energy efficiency in 183,000 buildings, compared with the $645 million the government committed to energy efficiency programs in its latest budget.
Wind, solar, and geothermal energy projects could create another 47,000 jobs if incentives are introduced that boost renewables’ share of the energy market to nine per cent by 2020, compared with the government’s target of up to 30 per cent of the market by 2030.