CALGARY — CHRIS SEVERSON-BAKER, the Pembina Institute’s Executive Director, made the following statement in response to the April 28 Canadian federal election:
“The Pembina Institute congratulates Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal Party of Canada on their election victory. This election coincided with an extraordinary period of political and economic uncertainty, as we continue to face an unjust trade dispute with the U.S., major challenges of affordability and insufficient housing, and the intensifying impacts of climate change, alongside the massive economic opportunities in the global shift to low-cost clean energy.
“The key to building a strong economy, increasing individual well-being and creating a climate-resilient future for all Canadians is our national, abundant supply of affordable and reliable clean electricity. It’s also key to attracting investment from the industries of tomorrow, in the production of the goods and services modern net-zero economies around the world are demanding. Modernizing our electricity grid, expanding renewables and other clean energy sources, and shifting our energy demand to electricity will drive Canada's next wave of jobs in clean transportation and low-carbon buildings. Investments in energy efficiency and demand-side management can also shield Canadian households and businesses from the impacts of geopolitical shifts. This is how we bolster our economic resilience while achieving our climate goals.
“This government – and everyone in Canada – has an opportunity to choose a pathway to long-term financial stability, secured global leadership and increased well-being for all. This pathway is rooted in clean energy.”
The Pembina Institute looks forward to working with all parties and collaborating with the newly elected federal government toward delivering on several key campaign commitments, including:
- Securing Canada’s energy and electricity sovereignty (through the build-out of a clean and connected national electricity grid)
- Making sure big emitters pay while protecting the competitiveness of Canadian industry (through an improved output-based pricing system)
- Promoting fair competition with our trading partners by developing a carbon border adjustment mechanism
- Developing clean energy and upgrading power systems to support Arctic energy security
- Ensuring Indigenous partnership is central to all new and existing energy resource development
- Funding home retrofits and making it easier to adopt heat pumps and energy efficiency upgrades
- Expanding Canada’s electric vehicle charging network
- Becoming a world leader in carbon removal and sequestration
- Supporting our workers through both the unjust trade dispute with the U.S. and the accelerating global transition to clean energy
“Electrification — including building out our clean electricity grid and shifting domestic energy demand to electricity — is the only overarching policy that simultaneously supports economic prosperity, creates jobs, improves health outcomes, provides affordable energy, reduces carbon emissions, and helps Canadians become more resilient to the economic impacts of trade disputes, and the physical and economic impacts of climate change,” Severson-Baker said.
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Contact
Brendan Glauser
Senior Director, Communications, Pembina Institute
604-356-8829
Background
Federal election 2025 policy brief: A critical moment for Canadian resilience, security and prosperity
Op-ed: Clean electrification is the nation-building project we need
Media release: Tariffs show the path to a resilient Canadian economy is built on abundant clean energy
