Net-zero advisory body co-chair resigns, says process felt ‘neglected, performative’

OTTAWA — The co-chair of the federal government’s net-zero advisory body has resigned, saying its work had begun to feel “neglected or performative.”

In a post on his LinkedIn account, Simon Donner says he resigned on Tuesday and he is grateful for the opportunity to help shape climate policy in Canada.

He says the structure and governance of the net-zero advisory body was “never ideal” and that “the situation became more difficult this year as the government, and its priorities, changed.”

The written mandate of the net-zero advisory body is to “identify pathways to help Canada achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.”

Canada is set to introduce an update to its emissions reduction plan before the end of the year.

Donner’s resignation comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney is being accused by environmental groups of walking back many of Canada’s climate policies.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2025.