Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, has released Powering Canada Forward, the Government of Canada's vision for transforming Canada's electricity sector, to decarbonize grids by 2035, keep electricity systems reliable and ensure household energy costs are affordable.
Highlighting the importance of decarbonization to achieve net-zero emissions across Canada by 2050, the plan has invited Canadians to join a national conversation about developing the economy’s first Clean Electricity Strategy to be released in 2024.
"Retrofitting power plants and building new clean sources of electricity means cleaner air and the creation of good jobs in communities across Canada,” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada. “The simple fact is that we will need more clean electricity to support Canadians who are making the cost-saving switch to electric cars and heating and to support industries looking for a lower carbon footprint.”
The plan will outline the federal government’s future work with provinces, territories, Indigenous leaders, utilities, industry, private and financial sectors, unions, academics and civil society ensuring competitiveness with affordable life for energy consumers in Canada. The work will not only strengthen Indigenous partnerships, create good jobs and economic opportunity in every region of the country but also deal with the climate crisis.
The federal government can establish environmental regulations and govern interprovincial power lines, regulate nuclear power and make strategic investments to achieve desired outcomes and facilitate collaboration with provincial and territorial counterparts. Considering regional circumstances, the federal government will work with provincial and territorial partners to build a clean, affordable and reliable electricity system for every region of the country.
"The B.C. Center of Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) recognizes that mitigating investment risks, fostering collaboration and accelerating the commercial scaling of clean energy storage and grid integration solutions are vital to achieving a net-zero economy,” said Ged McLean, Executive Director, B.C. Center of Innovation and Clean Energy. “CICE is committed to leading non-dilutive investments in disruptive areas of innovation where the lack of traditional revenue metrics is a barrier to scale, thus providing a faster and easier way for clean energy innovators to scale their impact and become global players in sectors ranging from mining and manufacturing to energy storage and recycling."
