National Electricity Strategy shows some promise but undermines itself by gutting environmental standards

Press Release

VANCOUVER / UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES — Today, the federal government announced its new electricity strategy. It aims to double Canada’s electricity grid by 2050 and connect provinces and territories with new transmission links — something the David Suzuki Foundation has long advocated for.

However, it fails to chart a course to a fully clean electricity grid powered by renewables and outlines plans to weaken the clean electricity regulations to allow more fossil fuels on the grid.

Stephen Thomas, clean energy manager at the David Suzuki Foundation said:

“Today could have been a good news story in Canada’s journey toward clean, affordable and reliable electricity for all. Instead, while this strategy takes important steps forward, it comes at a time when the federal government is poised to dismantle a suite of key environmental standards and climate policies needed to accelerate Canada’s clean energy transition.

“It is deeply cynical to announce some good news for the electricity sector while planning to gut more climate policies and advance new pipelines the very next day.

“We are encouraged to see significant new details on transmission lines, energy efficiency, planning, clean technology manufacturing and labour supports. However, it also signals the beginning of the end of the clean electricity regulations — one of the last climate policies this federal government hasn’t already gutted or abandoned. It opens the door for new fossil fuel projects to be added to the grid, a direct contradiction of what these regulations were designed to prevent. Canadian homes and businesses simply can’t afford the price volatility and increased costs that would come with more fossil fuel generation.

“Clean electricity is a generational opportunity for union workers, Indigenous communities, the steel and aluminum sector and every family paying too much for energy. Canada is behind in the global race to renewables and electrification. All levels of government need to act now, because the sooner we join the race, the sooner communities see the benefits.

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For more information or interviews, please contact:

Rosie Rattray: rrattray@davidsuzuki.org, 604-732-4228, ext 132

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