Across Canada, efforts are underway to expand the use of clean electricity. There is much more to do, however, to take Canada across the finish line to a 100% renewable energy system. Canada’s pathway to deep emissions reductions, consistent with those required by the Paris Agreement, requires the country to move away from fossil fuels and towards clean electrification of the economy. Done right, this electrification pathway offers huge job creation potential and will help build healthy and resilient communities across the country.
The federal government has a role to play in facilitating the creation and implementation of a pan-Canadian electrification strategy. A pan-Canadian electrification strategy should build on successful provincial efforts to transform their electricity systems. This strategy would secure resilient electricity systems, fuelled by renewable energy, capable of dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, buildings, and industrial processes – while also reducing risk to Canadians from polluting facilities and climate change impacts such as more extreme weather.
