Federal net-zero advisory board costs taxpayers nearly $2 million a year, records show

Subhead:Board members have regularly billed taxpayers for travel across Canada and internationally, including trips to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan.# A federal advisory panel created to guide Canada’s net-zero emissions policies is costing taxpayers close to $2 million annually, according to newly released government records detailing travel, hospitality and other expenses. The figures come from a response to an Order Paper question filed by Conservative MP Kelly McCauley , which asked for a breakdown of spending by the Net-Zero Advisory Body since its creation in 2021. According to the response from Environment and Climate Change Canada, the advisory body has incurred the following costs: $226,946 in 2021-22 $1,288,383 in 2022-23 $2,319,334 in 2023-24 $1,861,520 in 2024-25 $30,083 so far in 2025-26 The spending peaked at more than $2.3 million in 2023-24, putting the board’s average annual cost at roughly $2 million.