The following are key environment-related aspects of the June 2011 Canada Federal Government Budget that may be of interest to readers. The bullet points below are sentences drawn from budget documents but may be abbreviated to conserve space. Additional details may be provided in a future monthly issue of Gallon Environment Letter:

• Supporting the manufacturing and processing sector by extending the accelerated capital cost allowance treatment for investments in manufacturing and processing machinery and equipment for two years.
• Extending the temporary 15-per-cent Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (for flow-through share investors) for an additional year (until March 31, 2012) to continue to help companies raise capital for mineral exploration.
• Renewed funding of almost $100 million over two years for research, development and demonstrations of clean energy and energy efficiency.
• Expanding eligibility for the accelerated capital cost allowance for clean energy generation equipment.
• Expand eligibility for accelerated CCA under Class 43.2 to include equipment that generates electricity using waste heat from sources such as industrial processes. Systems will not be eligible if they use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), due to their negative environmental impacts.
• $8 million over two years to promote the deployment of clean energy technologies in Aboriginal and Northern communities.
• $870 million over two years to address climate change and air quality: $252 million to support regulatory activities to address climate change and air quality; $86 million to support clean energy regulatory actions, focusing on energy efficiency; $48 million to develop transportation sector regulations and next-generation clean transportation initiatives; $58 million for projects to improve our understanding of climate change impacts; $25 million to advance Canada’s engagement in international negotiations and support the Canada-United States Clean Energy Dialogue; and $400 million in 2011–12 for the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient and reduce the burden of high energy costs. Further details regarding this program will be announced in the near future.
• $68 million over the next two years to renew support for the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan. Departments will undertake remediation work that is expected to reduce the federal liability by close to $550 million, focusing on the highest priority sites such as the Giant and Faro Mines in Northern Canada.
• Renewing the Chemicals Management Plan with almost $200 million over two years to assess and manage the risk of harmful chemicals.
• $80 million in new funding over three years through the Industrial Research Assistance Program to help small and medium-sized businesses accelerate their adoption of key information and communications technologies through collaborative projects with colleges.
• Improving commercialization and supporting demonstration of new technologies in the marketplace by supporting research links between colleges, universities and businesses.
• Identifying savings that reach over $500 million annually from the 2010 round of strategic reviews. Together with measures to restrain the growth of National Defence spending, the first cycle of strategic reviews has resulted in $11 billion in savings over seven years and more than $2.8 billion in ongoing savings.
• A two-year, $50-million Agricultural Innovation Initiative to support knowledge creation and transfer and increased commercialization of agricultural innovations.
• Supporting the transformation of the forestry sector by providing $60 million in 2011–12 to help forestry companies innovate and tap into new opportunities abroad.
• Improving the regulatory framework of the charitable sector to give confidence to Canadians who make donations.
• Investing $22 million over two years to help First Nations ensure that the fuel tanks that power their essential community services meet environmental safety standards.
• $35 million over five years to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to support excellence in climate and atmospheric research at Canadian post-secondary institutions.
• 30 new Industrial Research Chairs at colleges with $3 million in 2011–12 and $5 million a year on a permanent basis starting in 2012–13.
• $12 million over five years, starting in 2011–12, through the Idea to Innovation program to support joint college-university commercialization projects.
• $40 million over two years for grants to Sustainable Development Technology Canada to continue to support the development and demonstration of new clean technology projects under the clean air and climate change component of the SD Tech Fund.
• An additional $5 million over two years to improve nearshore water and ecosystem health, and better address the presence of phosphorous in the Great Lakes.

Full budget documents are available at http://www.budget.gc.ca/2011/home-accueil-eng.html