OTTAWA – Former cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault is reportedly set to resign as a member of Parliament, sources have communicated to The Canadian Press. Guilbeault is expected to announce his decision to the Liberal caucus on Wednesday.
Guilbeault has expressed growing disillusionment in recent months, particularly regarding what he perceives as the dismantling of climate policies under Prime Minister Mark Carney. He resigned from Carney's cabinet last year following the public revelation of Ottawa's energy deal with Alberta. In November 2025, Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at advancing the approval of a bitumen pipeline intended to transport over one million barrels per day from Alberta to Asian markets via a port on the British Columbia coast.
In a media statement, Guilbeault voiced strong opposition to the agreement between the federal government and Alberta, referring to the proposal to exempt Alberta from clean electricity regulations as "a serious mistake." He outlined several elements of the climate action plan he had previously worked on as Minister of the Environment that have either been dismantled or are on the verge of being dismantled. These include consumer carbon pricing, the zero-emission vehicle standard, emissions caps on the oil and gas sector, the framework for eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, and clean electricity regulations.
Following these developments, Guilbeault has publicly criticized his government’s approach to climate policy. The Liberal Party currently holds a slim majority in the House of Commons with 174 seats. Additionally, MP Jonathan Wilkinson, another former environment minister, is slated to depart from his role to take over as Canada’s next ambassador to the European Union. In an open letter to his constituents last month, Wilkinson announced his intention to vacate his seat "in the coming months," indicating that he would likely begin his new role in early July.
Recent reports revealed that 14 Liberal MPs collectively sent a letter to the prime minister at the end of April expressing their concerns regarding the government's planned agreement with Alberta. During a housing announcement on Monday, Carney noted that a healthy caucus is characterized by open exchanges of views and suggestions, emphasizing the necessity to make decisions that serve the country's best interests.
In light of Guilbeault's impending resignation, federal ministers Lena Diab and Marjorie Michel expressed their admiration for his contributions. Michel, participating in a press conference on Parliament Hill concerning an Ebola outbreak in Africa, described Guilbeault as a "fantastic" colleague, conveying her appreciation for his work and advocacy. Diab commended Guilbeault in French, acknowledging him as an excellent minister and MP.
Representing the Montreal riding of Laurier–Sainte-Marie since 2019, Guilbeault's activism has roots dating back to when he climbed a tree at the age of five to prevent real estate developers from clearing forests near his hometown of La Tuque, Quebec. In 1993, he co-founded Équiterre, which grew to become Quebec’s largest environmental organization, serving as its senior director from 2007 to 2018. Before entering politics, Guilbeault worked with Greenpeace, Deloitte, and Copticom, notably being one of two activists arrested in 2001 for scaling the CN Tower in Toronto to raise awareness about climate change.
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu expressed his "tremendous" respect for Guilbeault and affirmed that discussions regarding environmental matters will continue. Guilbeault became a member of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet as the Minister of Heritage and transitioned to the environment portfolio two years later. He played a significant role in Canada’s involvement in the UN’s climate change conference, COP29, in 2021, and led the development of the 2030 emissions reduction plan alongside a national climate adaptation strategy and nature conservation plan.
Initially, Guilbeault was one of the first members of Trudeau’s cabinet to publicly support Carney’s leadership bid for the Liberal Party. He acknowledged his long-standing collaboration with Carney on issues related to green energy and climate change. Despite this, he highlighted that while he views consumer carbon pricing as a pivotal tool in combatting climate change, it is not the sole solution.
This article was originally published on May 26, 2026.
