Canada Electricity Advisory Council: Final report
May 2024
Letter from the Council Chair
Canadians come at energy from different perspectives. Some are primarily concerned about affordability and competitiveness, others about the effects of long-term climate change on our children’s future. For many, it’s a matter of reliability — keeping the proverbial lights on. And for many Indigenous peoples, it’s about undoing a legacy of energy development happening to — not with or by — their communities.
All of these perspectives matter. All are legitimate. Yet in our increasingly polarized debates, how often do we jump to assuming others are “wrong” or “don’t care” about our perspective, or just “don’t get it”?
Serving as chair of this Council has been a tremendous honour. And a large part of that honour has been working alongside its esteemed members who, like a microcosm of Canada, came at this challenge from varied perspectives.
My own perspective is simple: Energy is the backbone of economies and societies the world over. It always has been. And the world is now undergoing a rapid, arguably unprecedented energy transition.
How we navigate that transition — deliberately or not, thoughtfully or not, collaboratively or not — will determine how we emerge on the other side: as winners or losers in a historic, global shift. Our kids will have us to thank — or to blame — for the outcome.
As my daughter likes to say, “It’s better to try than not to try.”
Arguably the single biggest part of this transition comes down to electricity. Why? Because electricity can be produced emissions-free, can move across vast distances, can be produced in a multitude of ways using natural resources available in every region of the country, and can be consumed with extreme efficiency. As our report lays out, the challenge before us is twofold:
- to finish decarbonizing our existing grids (we’re already ahead of most of the world on that), and
- to rapidly expand them to deliver the clean electricity that Canadians will need in the decades to come.
As the Council deliberated on the steps necessary to set Canada’s electricity transition on a path to success, we arrived at a firm consensus on 3 clear parameters for our work:
- The first was a commitment to pragmatism. We understand that electricity is a vital daily need for all Canadians, and that it is delivered from a diverse and increasingly complex array of systems. Our recommendations could be ambitious, but they cannot be simplistic – there are simply no easy answers, silver bullets or one-size-fits-all solutions. Rather, to be effective they would have to be grounded in current realities, take stock of real-world complexities, and lead to viable near-term actions. There is undeniable urgency to act in the face of climate change, but no action will be sustainable if it does not safeguard the affordability and reliability that Canadians have come to rely on.
- We have also come to see not just the value but the necessity in collaboration. This Council has drawn its membership from every region of Canada and from a diverse range of backgrounds. At times it has felt like a microcosm of Confederation itself, with differing, competing and even clashing views and perspectives. Yet with pragmatism as our guide, we developed a spirit of mutual respect for the multitude of perspectives that were brought to the table. The fact we were able forge consensus on such detailed recommendations is a testament to what true collaboration can produce. In the end, while Council members’ respective provinces and territories may face different challenges, we are all members of the same Team Canada.
- Above all, this Council has been driven by a powerful desire to get this right. The energy transition is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to chart the best possible future path for Canada’s electricity systems, which will support Canadians in their daily lives for generations to come. We have focused on a route to net-zero aimed at quickening the pace and optimizing for reliability, affordability, and Indigenous participation. We believe that these 4 foundational principles will serve all Canadians as we come together to embrace this challenge head-on.
Some will critique this report. It is certainly not perfect; it will not solve every challenge; in choosing to be grounded in today’s reality, it may not be as bold as some would like.
Yet it is my sincere belief that the vision and recommendations herein reflect a pragmatic, considered, achievable path forward. I am proud of the work that this Council has completed, and hope that its recommendations serve Canada for years to come.
– Philippe Dunsky