CALGARY — Chris Severson-Baker, executive director of the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to the Government of Canada’s federal electricity strategy announcement:
“This is an important recognition from the Canadian government that the global clean energy transition is on and accelerating, and we must significantly increase our supply of clean power and electrify our lives and industries. This discussion paper is a clear signal that the federal government intends to play a central, coordinating role in reshaping how we think about and manage our energy systems, so Canada can build an electrified economy powered by more secure, affordable and reliable electricity.
“This will need to be a Team Canada approach, with collaboration from all levels of government. If the Prime Minister and Premiers fail to work together to make more low-cost electricity available to Canadians – we will all face higher costs. As oil and gas companies move to increase export capacity to take advantage of higher international prices due to the current energy crisis, we all pay more to heat our homes and drive internal combustion engine cars — unless and until we electrify.
“Around the world, governments are recognizing the urgent need to electrify their economies — deploying EVs, rolling out home heat pumps, and building modern, well‑resourced grids powered by abundant, low‑cost clean energy. These choices aren’t about meeting climate targets; they’re strategic decisions by policy-makers who see broad‑scale electrification as one of the defining economic opportunities of this century, a transformation on the scale of a modern industrial revolution.
“If implemented effectively, this electricity strategy will fundamentally reshape how millions of people across Canada — from coast to coast and in the North — produce, access, and use energy every day. In doing that, Canada will align itself with other forward‑thinking nations — from the E.U. to Australia to China — that are relentlessly cutting costs.
“None of this will be possible without a workforce trained for the economy of the future. Canada must develop the skilled workforce needed to carry out the truly nation-building project to electrify the economy, and build and operate the electricity system.
“This strategy is now the centrepiece of the federal government's climate plan. This must move from discussion paper to an implementation plan with a very substantial budget by fall to translate into meaningful benefits for Canadians.”
Key facts
- According to the International Energy Agency, in 2023, clean energy added around US$320 billion to the world economy, or 10% of global GDP growth. This is roughly equivalent to adding an economy the size of the Czech Republic to global output. The IEA defined clean energy as deployment of renewables and other emissions-free electricity, manufacturing of clean energy technologies such as solar, wind and batteries, as well as sales of low-carbon energy uses – such as EVs and home heat pumps. The IEA also notes that energy efficiency improvements can deliver 40% of the greenhouse emissions reductions needed by 2040.
- According to Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, globally clean energy jobs now outnumber those in oil, gas and coal and fossil-engine manufacturing (32.1 million). Renewables jobs almost doubled from 8.5 million in 2015 to 16.2 million in 2023.
- Oil industry majors (BP, Shell, Equinor) now expect global oil demand to peak in 2030, even under scenarios with a greater focus on energy security that leads to a slower transition away from fossil fuel use.
- Meanwhile, global LNG supply is set to surge in the next few years, particularly from the U.S. and Qatar. Sufficient demand to accommodate this supply largely hinges on prices being low enough for Asian demand to materialize, a key risk for Canada as a relatively high-cost producer.
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Contact
Bhan Gatkuoth
Senior Communications Lead, Electricity
587-742-0818
