Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am pleased to join the committee members today to discuss the 2024-25 main estimates for Environment and Climate Change Canada. I will provide you with an overview of our mains this year, after which my colleagues and I would be happy to answer your questions.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe first nation.

From coast to coast to coast, Canada is getting warmer, and it's warming twice as fast as the global average. Last year, the magnitude of the wildfires, the smoke, the length of the wildfire season and the impacts across the country contributed to making it the worst wildfire season we've had for a very long time.

For the first time in the history of our country, an entire capital, the capital of the Northwest Territories, had to be evacuated. So 20,000 people were evacuated from Yellowknife. This requires action to address the adaptation and conservation issues posed by climate change.

I will not go through the main estimates line by line, but allow me to mention a few highlights.

In all, the 2024-25 main estimates total $2.8 billion. Compared with 2023-24, it adds $314 million more.

I will mention a few differences.

One is regarding the creation of the Canada water agency. You can see reflected, in the mains, the budget 2024 decision to provide $681 million in new funding over 10 years, beginning this year, and $18.9 million ongoing to implement the freshwater action plan and establish the Canada water agency.

Another thing you will see is the new collaboration with the Canadian Climate Institute. Our mains reflect the government's decision to provide $26.7 million over five years for new contribution agreements with the Canadian Climate Institute. The objective is for the CCI to expand its work related to adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Our budget has also been adjusted to reflect an injection of $211 million, including $4.8 million for us, to ensure what we call access to high-performance computing.

This will help our department to advance science and research and prevent future conditions, including those that lead to extreme weather events. For example, by using high-performance computers, we will be able to better understand events and alert populations in real time about changes in the weather.

In the same vein, in terms of permanent funding for weather services, our main estimates include $643.5 million over 10 years and $62.3 million per year for Environment Canada's meteorological service to continue to provide Canadians with vital information 24-7 on the weather, water quantity, climate, ice and air quality across the country.

Finally, our budget includes additional funding to implement Canada's national adaptation strategy. Again, that is as a result of the decision in budget 2024.

The budget included $935.6 million, of which our department receives $637 million, to support the long-term implementation of the strategy. Of that amount, $530 million is currently in the main estimates. It is for the green municipal fund, or GMF.

There are a few highlights and variations you can see in our budget for this year. More details about those funds can be found in the main estimates documentation.

Thank you for listening. My colleagues and I will now be happy to answer your questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.