Leading Canadian clean energy industry associations and think tanks have submitted a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney calling on the federal government to expand its emerging national electricity strategy around three mutually reinforcing objectives: double electricity supply, double electrification and double energy efficiency by 2050.
The organizations strongly support the government's commitment in Powering Canada Strong: A National Strategy for an Electrified Canadian Economy to double Canada's electricity supply by 2050. But they argue that building more electricity infrastructure alone will not ensure Canadians realize the full economic, affordability and energy-security benefits of that investment.
The letter calls on the federal government to add two complementary objectives:
- Double electrification by 2050 at least doubling the share of Canada's final energy needs supplied by electricity; and
- Double energy efficiency by 2050 doubling the economic value Canadians generate from each unit of energy consumed.
Together, the three objectives would provide Canada with a clear national mission for building a larger, more efficient and more affordable energy system.
"Canada has an enormous opportunity to turn abundant clean electricity into a global competitive advantage," said Ian Bruce, President of New Economy Canada. "To seize it, we need to build more clean power, help industries and businesses use it in more ways, and get more economic value from every unit of energy we consume."
The letter argues that the approach would advance several of the federal government's core priorities: lowering household and business energy costs, improving productivity and competitiveness, strengthening energy security and reducing emissions.
"Energy efficiency is what makes every new investment in electricity work harder for Canadians," said Corey Diamond, Executive Director of Efficiency Canada. "By wasting less energy in our homes, buildings and industries, we can lower bills, improve productivity and free up clean electricity to power more of the economy. A national goal to double energy efficiency would put affordability at the heart of Canada's electricity strategy."
It also notes that Canada would be moving in step with major international partners, notably the European Union, with whom Canada is pursuing a closer economic relationship. The European Union and France have established explicit electrification strategies, while Canada is participating in the international Electrify Now initiative, which is advancing a global objective for electricity to supply 35 per cent of final energy demand by 2035.
"Doubling electricity supply is the right ambition," said Chris Severson-Baker, Executive Director of the Pembina Institute. "But those investments will only translate into greater prosperity, affordability, energy security and resilience for Canadians if we have equally ambitious goals for electrification and energy efficiency."
