Canada's carbon removal sector punches well above its weight. We're home to leaders in direct air capture, mineral and ocean pathways and international companies are moving projects to Canada. The question is whether Canada will move ambitiously enough to capitalize before the window closes.
Na'im Merchant is the Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, the country's leading CDR advocacy non-profit. In March 2026, his organization helped anchor the Advance Carbon Removal Coalition - a $100M commitment from the federal government, RBC, BMO, and Shopify to back Canadian projects by 2030.
Carbon Removal Canada is the connective tissue the sector needed: a technology-agnostic, independent organization that coordinates policy, organizes the ecosystem, and builds the demand signals that help projects get financed. Their economic modelling shows CDR starts saving Canada money by 2035, cutting the marginal cost of reaching net zero by over 50% by 2050.
What we cover:
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TALKING POINTS
Why Na'im left global health for carbon removal
What $100M actually unlocks - and why a government buyer matters
The economic argument: how CDR saves Canada money on the path to net zero
Industrial integration: mining, steel, and forestry as CDR opportunities
Trough of disillusionment or normal maturation?
The US pullback: genuine competitive opening for Canada, or missed opportunity?
What policy and capital levers need to be pulled to realize this gigatonne-scale potential