Widespread electrification is a key pathway to achieving Canada’s net-zero emissions targets by 2050.
To deliver on the economic and environmental promise of net zero through electrification, we need clean and affordable electricity that we can rely on to power Canada’s future economy.
The Clean Electricity Regulations announced today by the federal government will allow Canada to keep pace with global competitors. They underscore the role clean electricity will play in Canada’s net-zero economy and provide a clear objective we must now move towards.
We have a little over a decade to meet this necessary and ambitious goal while simultaneously expanding the grid to support the electrification of our society. Achieving this will require overcoming barriers across the electricity supply chain—from advancing technological capabilities and developing innovative financing mechanisms to streamlining siting and permitting processes, and developing the workforce needed for the future grid.
The newly announced regulations present an opportunity for the federal government to provide policy certainty through clear and achievable rules. This can complement existing public and private efforts across Canada aimed at addressing the challenges ahead. These regulations will play a critical role in shaping Canada’s future electricity system, and provide a critical focus to different levels of government, the private sector, Indigenous interests, finance and others to make sure we get a right-sized, practical, affordable net-zero electricity system. Importantly, there must be enough flexibility built in so that each jurisdiction can find the best way to achieve net-zero emissions while ensuring affordability and reliability.
As an initiative focused on accelerating electrification, Electrifying Canada has convened stakeholders representing every facet of this supply chain to chart the pathways to net-zero electricity within each province. This fall, we will be launching our Phase 2 process, involving over 200 electricity leaders nationwide to understand the impacts of the Clean Electricity Regulations on their future plans, and helping to chart viable forward pathways that meet the intent of the regulations and work in the real world. We look forward to gathering key insights from these stakeholders and working with the federal government through upcoming consultation processes to help ensure Canada’s future electrification success.