Canada Launches AVOID-Methane at COP31 to Take Methane Solutions Global and Opens Host-City Selection for the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank
The Government of Canada on November 13 launched the AVOID-Methane initiative at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, opened the host-city selection process for the future global headquarters of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank in Ottawa, announced that Foreign Minister Anita Anand will travel from November 14 to 19 to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for Francophonie meetings and to Shenzhen, China, for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, celebrated the completion of Aqqusariaq, Nunavut's in-territory recovery centre in Iqaluit, and announced federal and Ontario support for Honda's retooling plan in Alliston, Ontario.
Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Julie Dabrusin launched the Accelerator for Verified Opportunities on Innovation for Decarbonization (AVOID)-Methane at COP31. The Canada-led global initiative will help Canadian companies bring their methane-reduction technologies and services to markets around the world, and Canada will explore opportunities to begin business-to-business matching in 2027, connecting Canadian providers with prospective buyers and partners abroad before later expanding to solution providers from other countries. Dabrusin also announced Canada's role as Chair of the Global Methane Initiative. Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over its first 20 years in the atmosphere and is responsible for about 30 percent of the rise in global temperatures to date; Canada's enhanced methane regulations are projected to reduce oil-and-gas methane emissions to 72 percent below 2012 levels by 2030, and Canada co-convenes the Global Methane Pledge with the European Union, which aims to cut global methane emissions 30 percent below 2020 levels by 2030. Canada also announced an additional $116 million in international climate finance projects and, with the United Kingdom, reaffirmed its commitment to climate finance.
Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne launched the process to select the Canadian city that will host the future global headquarters of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), a new multilateral financial institution that will unlock long-term public and private financing to expand defence industrial production and build more resilient supply chains, and that will seek a AAA credit rating. Qualified Canadian municipalities must submit their application packages no later than 23:59 Pacific Time on December 3, 2026. The process will be led by Doug Guzman, Chief Executive Officer of Canada's Defence Investment Agency, who will review applications and submit a shortlist to the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister.
On diplomacy, Anand will attend the 48th session of the Francophonie Ministerial Conference in Phnom Penh on November 14 and, with Parliamentary Secretary Mona Fortier and Prime Minister Mark Carney, the 20th Francophonie Summit on November 15 to 16, ahead of Canada's hosting of the Summit in 2028. She will then join Carney in Shenzhen for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, where leaders will discuss regional economic growth and prosperity. Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu was also advancing Canada-India trade and innovation partnerships during a visit to India.
In Iqaluit, Nunavut, the Government of Nunavut's Department of Health, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and Indigenous Services Canada joined Elders, community members, project partners and invited guests to celebrate Aqqusariaq, Nunavut's new addictions and trauma recovery facility. The 24-bed facility will provide inpatient and outpatient services including counselling, on-the-land programming and aftercare for individuals and families, operated by an Inuit-led not-for-profit and designed under the guidance of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, Elders and people with lived experience. Indigenous Services Canada has provided more than $52.2 million toward the centre's design, planning and construction, and contributes $9.7 million annually to its operations; the centre is not yet open to clients, as the operator completes staffing and finalizes programming. Aqqusariaq is an Inuktitut term describing a trail you go through to reach your destination, symbolic of a recovery journey.
On industry, Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly announced a $313 million federal investment through the Strategic Response Fund to support Honda Canada's $867 million plan to retool its Alliston, Ontario, facility, with the Government of Ontario contributing an additional $156 million. The project will support production of the next-generation Honda Civic and CR-V, increase electrified vehicle production, bring back engine production and provide training opportunities; it is expected to maintain over 4,000 jobs and support production of up to 400,000 vehicles each year. Ministers and officials also highlighted Budget 2026 investments across the country during the day, including for Indigenous housing and prosperity, the wine sector and Ontario industries.
(Source: Government of Canada)
Source: Government of Canada
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：渥太华国会山中央大楼。Wladyslaw 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Centre Block on Parliament Hill, Ottawa. By Wladyslaw, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
