Current Affairs

Electricity Canada: making our energy future happen

More. Faster. With action on climate desperately needed, the Canadian government has indicated its desire to work toward a Net Zero grid by 2035. Electricity Canada’s newly released State of the Canadian Electricity Industry Report “Accelerate Net Zero”, examines the impact that this target is having on the sector and offers an overview of necessary actions and specific recommendations to help Canada’s electricity industry continue to provide safe, secure, and sustainable electricity for all Canadians.

The report touches on four key themes:
More and Faster: Getting to a Net Zero Grid
An industry Ahead of the Curve: Looking Beyond the ESG Hype
Regulating and Policymaking for Net Zero: Moving from Ambition to Transition
Time to Accelerate Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

The report was officially launched at the Globe Forum in Vancouver on March 30th and was presented by Electricity Canada's President and CEO, Francis Bradley. Mr. Bradley discussed the actions required to accelerate Canada’s transition to Net Zero and how an “all of the above approach” will be needed to decarbonize the electricity sector in just 13 years.

A more detailed discussion on the issues and challenges faced by electricity companies on the path to Net Zero followed, with a few of Electricity Canada’s Board members joining the stage – thank you Kate Chisholm, Chris O’Riley and Roger Dall’Antonia for this important discussion.

THE FULL REPORT IS AVAILABLE HERE

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• Clean Electricity Standard (CES)
• Public Safety Broadband Report Released
• Electricity Canada Appoints New Board Chair
• The Clock Is Ticking For Canada'sGreen Electricity Grid
• Electricity Canada Presents: DataBytes
• National Net Zero Campaign
• Government of Ontario's EV Focused Letter to Minister Champagne
• Clean Power Roadmap for Atlantic Canada
• Measurement Canada Publishes Innovative Policy to Encourage Deployment of Advanced Streetlights
• Electricity Canada Hill Day
• The Town of Oakville Participates in Earth Hour

Electricity Canada: making our energy future happen

As of March 1st, 2022, the Canadian Electricity Association is now called Electricity Canada.

This rebranding is key component of the association's efforts to help move Canada toward a decarbonated future under Net Zero. “I am proud to lead this rebranding effort for Electricity Canada as we reimagine our energy future,” said Francis Bradley, President, and CEO of Electricity Canada. “With just 13 years remaining to meet Canada’s Net Zero by 2035 targets, Electricity Canada, and our members, will be integral to our nation's success as we innovate our way to an electrified future.”

With a new tagline “Our Energy Future”, Electricity Canada continues the mission it began over 130 years ago: to be voice of the evolving electricity business in Canada. Only now, we are working to be the recognized leader in Canada’s energy transition for members and the customers they serve.

On a practical level, this rebrand means some important changes for our members and customers. We have redesigned our website and changed our extranet to a “Member Portal” to better serve members and key stakeholders. All this is to reflect our vision of leading the way to a decarbonized future.
This initiative would not have been possible without the guidance of the Board of Directors providing their feedback and guidance during an extensive brand review and we are grateful to everyone for their helpful advice.

Here's to the future!

Other stories

• State of the Canadian Electricity Industry Presentation at the Globe Forum
• Electricity Canada Makes Budget Recommendations
• Electricity Canada Conducts ‘Advocacy Blitz’
• Power Marketers Council (PMC) Meeting
• Electricity Canada Presents: DataBytes
• Electricity Canada Celebrates International Women’s Day
• BC Hydro Highlights Electricity Canada’s Wildfire Mitigation Guide
• Electricity Canada and Member Companies are Closely Monitoring Geopolitical Issues

International Energy Agency Releases Annual Electricity Market Report

In January, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its annual Electricity Market Report. Electricity growth grew by 6% worldwide caused mainly by increasing extreme weather conditions including a cold winter and strong economic growth. The demand for electricity drove up prices of coal and natural gas in Asia and Europe. As a result, emissions went up in 2021 after a two-year downward trend. The IEA is predicting that the growth in renewables will largely meet the increased demand for energy around the world but will not replace the reliance on coal and natural gas.

In Canada, overall demand increased by 3% due to extreme weather events and economic growth. The continued phase out of coal across the country is contributing to the sector’s overall greenhouse gas decline. The IEA noted that the coalition established between Canada and the United States, Powering Past Coal Alliance, now has 48 national governments on board. The report gives a nod to Canada’s growth in hydropower with the development of Muskrat Falls, the Keeyask Project, the Romaine Project and the construction at Peace River’s Site C Dam set to be operational in 2025.

CEA’s Vice President of Government Relations Michael Powell responded to the release of the IEA report noting, “The IEA rightfully gives credit for how our clean, reliable and affordable grid positions us to decarbonization the economy. But we have a lot of work to do to meet the needs of tomorrow.”

Other stories

• CEA’s National Residential Customer Survey 2021
• Episode 051: Serge Abergel and Hydro-Québec’s role in greening the grid in northeastern North America
• Behind the Meter Study
• CEA Presents: DataBytes
• Building on Canada’s electrical advantage
• The Climate Adaptation Challenge
• Supply Chain Committee Q1 Meeting
• CEA Welcomes Two New Corporate Partners

Canada’s Electricity Sector Innovates for a Net Zero Future

The Canadian Electricity Association’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) celebrates Canadian innovation and cutting-edge technology in the electricity sector.

This year, we focused exclusively on a unique group of projects that align with the Government of Canada’s emissions reduction targets. Our commitment to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the year 2050 cannot materialize without the electricity sector’s dedication to generate, transmit, and distribute clean power. “The Net Zero Edition” highlights and celebrates 15 innovative projects and initiatives from our members across Canada that will help shape our collective energy future and meet our collective climate goals.

During these unprecedented times, members of the Canadian Electricity Association have continued to keep the lights on and provide us the power to persevere through the new challenges we are currently facing. And in doing so, utilities have demonstrated ingenuity, creativity and transformed how we think about the electricity sector today, creating economic, social and environmental benefits for all Canadians.

Other stories

• Knowledge Centre Launch
• Episode 050: Bryce Conrad and Hydro Ottawa, a Sustainable Electricity Company
• Episode 049: Project developer Dan Balaban and the future role of renewables
• Ontario Mutual Assistance Group (OnMAG) first successful Mutual Assistance for utilities across Ontario after windstorm
• CEA Power Marketers Council (PMC) Meeting
• CEA & CGA Security Committees Meeting

Return to In-Person “Powering Partnerships Summit” a Huge Success

CEA celebrated a strong return to in-person events with three days of meetings including our Policy Summit and Annual Awards Dinner November 23-25. While ensuring necessary COVID precautions were followed including limiting numbers, mandatory vaccination and masking, CEA was pleased to bring together over 150 CEA members, Corporate Partners, energy stakeholders and CEA Staff for a full day of discussions focused on the very near future: 2030. The event featured keynote speakers Dr. Michael Webber from the Webber Energy Group and Susannah Pierce from Shell Canada as well as two panels focused on the future of the sector in 2030. CEA presented the 2021 EV Awards with Plug’n Drive at the dinner reception as well as the Sustainable Electricity Designation which was awarded to Hydro Ottawa.

CEA also formally acknowledged the Occupational Health and Safety Awards, the Sustainable Electricity Awards, the Lifesaver Award winners and the first ever Reliability and Resilience Award.

Other stories

• CEA Attends COP26
• Tune in for new Flux Capacitor Episodes
• The Speech from the Throne
• Examining Prime Minister Trudeau’s clean, net-zero electrical grid goal for Canada
• The CEA Conversation Series
• Transmission Investments Can Pave the Way to a Carbon-Neutral Future in Canada
• Ontario’s five largest electricity utilities unite to warn of scams this holiday season
• Lessons learned from a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art distribution automation system upgrade project at California State University Fresno
• GridEx Tabletop Exercise
• CEA Welcomes a New Corporate Partner
• CEA would like to extend a massive thank you to the sponsors of our annual Powering Partnerships Summit 2021
• DataBytes

Cabinet of the 44th Parliament

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his post-election cabinet on October 26, 2021. The cabinet has grown incrementally to 39 members—one short of matching the record—and saw substantial changes.

Most departments that CEA interacts with will be working with new Ministers. There was a substantial shakeup in cabinet officials that oversee climate files, with Steven Guilbeault moving to Environment and Climate Change Canada and Jonathan Wilkinson moving to Natural Resources Canada. While most cabinets will have some time to get up to speed on their new files, these two are expected to attend COP 26 which begins next week. CEA expects to be involved with these departments as a Clean Electricity Standard is developed and the Government’s 2035 Net-Zero Electricity Grid commitment is explained.

The House of Commons will return on November 22nd for the Speech from the Throne and speaker selection. In the interim, the Government will announce Parliamentary Secretaries who support Ministers in the House of Commons and Committees. House of Commons committees, including selection of Chairs, will begin in the first weeks after Parliament’s return.

The government will now get back to work as the caretaker convention is lifted. We expect several engagements and consultations to begin in the near term. How these are prioritized will become clearer when mandate letters are released.

For more information please contact Michael Powell.

Other stories

• Electricity Alliance Canada
• The Flux Capacitor Episode 046
• CEA Joins the Canadian Transportation Alliance
• CEA Presents: DataBytes
• CEA Prepares for the 2021 Powering Partnership Summit
• Putting Utility Customers at the Center of Decarbonization Efforts
• The Transmission Consultative Committee on Outage Statistics
• October Supply Chain Committee Meeting
• Opportunity for Members to Participate in the Low Carbon Business Action (LCBA) Canada