In June, the federal government made important changes to the Competition Act, which will help prevent companies from making misleading claims about the climate and environmental impact of their brands or products. These changes will help protect consumers from greenwashing and help tackle misinformation about the causes of and solutions to climate change, but only if they’re not watered down under pressure from Big Oil. Greenwashing is a type of false advertising used by companies, especially Big Oil, to exaggerate or fabricate environmental or sustainability claims to seem more climate-friendly than they really are. It is a big problem, and we need stronger tools to prevent and fight it. 

Right now, the Competition Bureau is looking for your help developing enforcement guidelines for the government’s new greenwashing rules. Tell the Competition Bureau they must ensure companies take real climate action, with the clear and strong enforcement of anti-greenwashing rules. 

Now is the time to stand up for a new era of genuine corporate environmental accountability. We urge the Competition Bureau to require companies: 

• Be truthful about their net-zero targets and goals without misleading the public
• Make specific, well-substantiated environmental claims to ensure any statements about reaching net zero or reducing emissions are accurate, avoiding exaggeration or misinterpretation, and aligning with robust international standards.
• Provide high-quality evidence so that the burden of proof for environmental or climate claims is a business’s responsibility and not the responsibility of the consumers or the public. 

Big Oil’s lies and greenwashing can’t fool us. The oil and gas industry has a long history of misleading the public about climate change. Disinformation about climate change, particularly regarding its primary causes like the production and burning of fossil fuels, has derailed climate progress. It’s time to take action.

Tell the Competition Bureau to stop allowing oil and gas companies to derail real climate action with their misleading greenwashing.

Your letter will be sent to the Competition Bureau consultation email.