This is not a problem of funding. It’s not a problem of technology. It’s not even a problem of principle. What we have is a people problem. And until we get it fixed—and it can be fixed—nothing will move forward.
Getting to 2050
2023 was a big year for the electricity sector, with real steps being made towards building a bigger, reliable and more affordable electricity system for 2050. But there is also uncertainty when it comes to the funding mechanisms necessary to invest and a sluggish pace overall. How do we move things forward so we can achieve a net zero economy by 2050?
Building things faster
Electricity companies are often stuck between the expectations of government policies and what utilities can do under the regime of risk-averse provincial regulators. Factor in the time and effort for Federal Impact Assessments and accomplishing the building of complex infrastructure projects seem like a faraway dream. What are some of the simple, practical and achievable ways to speed the pace of building?
Making the grid reliable
Almost half of outages in 2023 were due to weather-related incidents. The Canadian grid was pushed to its extreme limit and yet held strong against hot days, wildfires and cyberattacks. What steps can be taken to ensure everyone is ready for extreme weather events in the future?
Increasing affordability
41% of consumers surveyed by Electricity Canada say their electricity bill has a major impact on their finances. What are the ways, both big and small, that electricity providers and government can do to ensure electricity becomes more affordable?
