Category: News Release

Affordable electricity will be a pillar of post-pandemic economic recovery

Ottawa, Ontario, November 6, 2020 – Ontario’s Minister of Finance, the Hon. Rod Phillips, tabled the provincial budget in the Legislature yesterday. Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover included measures aimed at providing financial relief for electricity consumers during these difficult times.

Electricity costs have increased in Ontario over the past decade as a result of investments made in much-needed infrastructure like transmission and new generation. The actions committed to by this government will provide financial relief for electricity consumers during these difficult times and will help support our post-pandemic economic recovery.

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) is committed to working with the Ontario Government to ensure that future investments in the electricity system focus on the provision of reliable, low cost and emissions-free sources of power for the benefit of all Ontarians.

Renewable generation, along with energy storage and other emerging technologies such as smart grids and distributed energy resources, will play a critical role in supporting such objectives by improving operational efficiency, reducing curtailment and more effectively deploying our province’s diversity of energy resources while lowering overall system costs.

Representing innovators, engineers, developers, investors, and other industry partners, CanREA is eager to continue working with Premier Ford, Minister Rickford and the Government of Ontario to enable an energy market that provides cost-competitive and sustainable energy solutions for Ontario’s electricity needs.  

Quotes

“We are committed to working with the government to ensure that affordability remains a key consideration in the development of a reliable, low cost and emissions-free electricity system that benefits all Ontarians.”

– Robert Hornung, President and CEO, Canadian Renewable Energy Association

-30-

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. Our association works to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Anastasia Smolentseva, Communications Manager

Canadian Renewable Energy Association

613-857-3359

asmolentseva@renewablesassociation.ca

Ottawa, Ontario, November 3, 2020 – The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) applauds the Government of Alberta’s announcement of its new Energy Savings for Business program, to be delivered through Emissions Reductions Alberta.

With funding sourced from Alberta’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) system as well as the federal Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund (LCELF), the Energy Savings for Business program will provide grants to small- and medium-scale businesses toward the implementation of energy-efficient technologies, including on-site electricity generation.

“We commend the Alberta and Federal governments for this strategic investment in the Energy Savings for Business program,” said Robert Hornung, President and CEO of CanREA.

“This program is truly win-win-win: It will quickly create clean energy jobs across Alberta, it will help small- and medium-sized businesses to upgrade their facilities and bring down their energy costs, and it will achieve significant emissions reductions.”  

-30-

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. We work to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Bridget Wayland, Director of Communications

Canadian Renewable Energy Association

613-227-5378

bwayland@renewablesassociation.ca

Demonstration projects could enable more Ontarians to benefit from distributed solar power generation in their community

Ottawa, Ontario, October 9, 2020 – Ontario’s Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, the Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria, this week introduced the Main Street Recovery Act, 2020, which would enable Community Net Metering demonstration projects to help support local communities to develop innovative community projects like net-zero or community micro-grids that use small-scale energy systems including renewable generation.

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association applauds this initiative as it envisions the creation of a regulatory framework that would provide Ontarians with an opportunity to support economic recovery through the deployment of distributed solar energy projects in their community when they are not able to install such technologies at their own household, business or institution. Such projects are exceptionally effective at quickly creating jobs and stimulating investment while at the same time supporting carbon emissions reduction and community resilience.

Our association looks forward to working with the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines on the details of this important initiative in the days to come.

Quotes

“There are many Ontarians who are keen to have their homes and businesses powered by solar energy but do not have the roof space on-site to install this technology. A community net metering framework would enable more people to benefit from solar energy deployment within the community while also creating local jobs and investment”, said Nicholas Gall, the Canadian Renewable Energy Association’s Director of Distributed Energy Resources

-30-

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. Our association works to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Bridget Wayland, Director of Communications

Canadian Renewable Energy Association

613-227-5378

bwayland@renewablesassociation.ca

Investments in wind energy, solar energy, energy storage and electricity infrastructure can stimulate the economy and address climate change

Ottawa, Ontario, October 1, 2020  – The Canadian Renewable Energy Association applauds the Federal Government for its announcement today that the Canada Infrastructure Bank will allocate $2.5 billion to support investments in clean power projects over the next 24-36 months and beginning before the end of 2020. Investments will be targeted to support the generation, storage and transmission of clean power.

Canada’s massive untapped and cost-competitive wind and solar energy resources provide opportunities for investment, job creation and economic growth in all regions of the country, including Indigenous and remote communities. As Canada looks to strengthen its 2030 climate targets and move to net-zero carbon by 2050, new wind and solar energy will play a central role in both the decarbonization of Canada’s electricity grid and the expansion of electricity production required to support reduced use of fossil fuels in transportation, buildings and industry. Investments in energy storage and electricity transmission infrastructure are critical enablers that will facilitate the efficient integration and expansion of wind and solar energy within the electricity system.

Through the provision of low-cost and long-term capital, the Canada Infrastructure Bank can facilitate and accelerate the deployment of new wind energy, solar energy, energy storage and electricity infrastructure projects that will create jobs and investment in the short-term while reducing greenhouse gas emissions today and in the future.

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association looks forward to engaging with the Canada Infrastructure Bank on the details of this initiative and hopes to see new projects moving forward in 2020.

Quotes

“By facilitating new investments in wind and solar energy, the Canada Infrastructure Bank can support investment, job creation and economic recovery while also supporting Canada’s efforts to meet its 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets”, said Robert Hornung, President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

“The clean power investments envisioned by the Canada Infrastructure Bank in areas like energy storage and new electricity transmission infrastructure can provide a foundation that enables enhanced and sustainable growth in wind energy and solar energy over time,” said Jean-François Nolet, Vice-President, Policy, Government and Public Affairs of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

-30-

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. Our association works to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca.

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Bridget Wayland, Director of Communications

Canadian Renewable Energy Association

613-227-5378

bwayland@renewablesassociation.ca

Hannover Fairs (Canada) and the Canadian Renewable Energy Association look forward to welcoming businesses and individuals involved in modernizing Canada’s electricity system at Electricity Transformation Canada 2021 on November 17-19.

Ottawa, Ontario, July 20, 2020 –  Hannover Fairs (Canada) and the Canadian Renewable Energy Association announced today that Electricity Transformation Canada 2020, Canada’s largest renewable energy and energy storage conference and exhibition, scheduled to take place November 10 – 12 in Toronto, Ontario, has been  canceled in response to the COVID-19 situation. Under current provincial guidelines, indoor gatherings of more than 50 people are not permitted and it is unclear when it will be safe for larger gatherings to proceed.

“This was a difficult decision, but it is the right one. While we were very excited to launch our inaugural event in 2020  and appreciate the strong interest shown by exhibitors, sponsors and thought leaders, the health and well-being of all participants and our staff remain our top priority,” says Larry Turner, President and CEO of Hannover Fairs (Canada). “We are nonetheless pleased to announce that we will now launch this event with Electricity Transformation Canada 2021, to be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from November 17 – 19, 2021 and we look forward to welcoming participants from across Canada and around the globe to our event at that time.”

Electricity Transformation Canada will bring wind energy, solar energy, energy storage, and complementary technologies – from transportation electrification to smart grid and digitalization – all together in one landmark event.

“While COVID – 19 has resulted in the cancellation of Electricity Transformation Canada 2020, Canada’s electricity system continues to transform,” says Robert Hornung, President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. “As a result, the Canadian Renewable Energy Association will be hosting a virtual event that will examine the role of wind energy, solar energy, and energy storage in the transformation of electricity systems across Canada in November 2020. More information on this event will be forthcoming in September 2020, as part of our association’s comprehensive events program for 2020 – 2021.”  

-30-

About Hannover Fairs (Canada)

Hannover Fairs (Canada) is a subsidiary of Hannover, Germany’s Deutsche Messe – one of the world’s largest and most active organizers of industrial technology events. Hannover Fairs helps companies expand domestically and internationally through exhibit and sponsorship opportunities at Deutsche Messe’s worldwide portfolio of events, including Energy at HANNOVER MESSE and Canada’s premier renewable energy event, Electricity Transformation Canada. Visit https://www.hfcanada.ca for more information.

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. Our association works to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

To stay informed about future Canadian Renewable Energy Association events, please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Bridget Wayland, Director of Communications

Canadian Renewable Energy Association

613-227-5378

bwayland@renewablesassociation.ca

New Canadian Renewable Energy Association positioned to provide solutions for Canada’s energy transition

Ottawa, Ontario, July 6, 2020 – Effective July 1, 2020, the Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the new multi-technology industry association that provides a unified voice for solar energy, wind energy, and energy storage in Canada. It has been created by uniting the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) and the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) into a new, expanded association that also includes energy storage. 

The new association is being launched against the backdrop of a global pandemic, which has fueled a debate about Canada’s energy future and the acceleration of the ongoing transition to a cleaner, low-carbon economy.

“The Canadian Renewable Energy Association will be advocating for investment in wind energy, solar energy and energy storage projects that can deliver both jobs and economic benefits today, as well as the infrastructure that will provide a foundation for significantly more investment in the jobs, economic activity and energy solutions of tomorrow,” said Robert Hornung, the founding President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. “While this has been a time of tremendous challenge for our country, the pandemic also presents Canada with an opportunity to invest in sustainable pathways for addressing economic and environmental challenges.” 

If Canada is to meet its target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a significantly expanded non-emitting electricity grid will be needed to support increased use of electricity in transportation, buildings and industry. Success will require wind energy, solar energy and energy storage technologies to play a critical role in this effort.

In Canada and around the world, electricity systems are rapidly innovating and modernizing to leverage new technologies and wind energy, solar energy and energy storage are rapidly becoming the low-cost solution for Canada’s future electricity needs. The rapid growth of wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions around the world is also enhancing the reliability, flexibility and scalability of energy production and use. 

The solutions provided by our technologies present exciting new opportunities for investment. Bloomberg projects US $9.5 trillion in global investment in wind and solar energy between 2018 and 2050 and almost US $1 trillion more in batteries for energy storage. These figures represent 77 per cent of the total projected global investment in power generation over that period. 

The scalability of wind energy, solar energy and energy storage means these technologies can transform Canada’s energy system by providing solutions at both micro and macro scales. At the micro level, distributed energy resources can be deployed to convert remote communities from diesel generators to sustainable micro-grids using solar panels and industrial-sized batteries. They can promote increased energy self-sufficiency through deployment of rooftop solar panels in neighbourhoods across the country or on big-city office buildings or university campuses. On a larger, utility scale, these technologies can be deployed in complementary ways to supply and support the broader electricity grid, or they can be used in hybrid applications where facilities use wind energy, solar energy and energy storage to provide utility-scale power. 

“The 300+ members of our new Association will advocate for policies – federally and provincially – that facilitate and enable delivery of the low-cost, non-emitting solutions increasingly sought by Canadian electricity consumers,” said Michelle Chislett, Interim Board Chair of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, and Managing Director for Canada & U.S. Development at Northland Power. “Our members are ready and willing to help Canada capture the synergies that connect wind energy, solar energy and energy storage technologies.” 

“The transition to clean and renewable sources of energy will have significant positive impacts for consumers, the economy and the environment,” says Jason Chee-Aloy, Interim Board Vice Chair of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association and Managing Director at Power Advisory LLC. “The solar energy, wind energy and energy storage industries will help Canada reduce its emissions while also providing economic opportunities in urban centres, rural areas and in Indigenous communities across the country.”

Background 

• Robert Hornung was named the founding President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association on May 19, 2020.
• Headquartered in Ottawa, with regional offices across Canada, the Association will have both national influence as well as a regional presence to advocate for energy solutions that utilize wind energy, solar energy and energy storage. 
• The Canadian Renewable Energy Association looks forward to continuing the important work of the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity (CanCORE) in partnership with WaterPower Canada and Marine Renewables Canada. CanCORE, including CanWEA and CanSIA, published an op-ed in the Globe and Mail on why renewable energy should be the cornerstone of Canada’s net zero strategy.
• Electricity Transformation Canada, an exciting new exhibition and conference dedicated to the business of energy transformation, will launch in November 2020. It is a partnership between Hannover Fairs and the Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

-30-

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA)

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. Our association works to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Subscribe to our newsletter. Become a member. Learn more at renewablesassociation.ca. 

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Bridget Wayland, Director of Communications

Canadian Renewable Energy Association

613-227-5378

bwayland@renewablesassociation.ca

May 19, 2020

A new national voice for the wind, solar and energy storage industries

Ottawa, Ontario, May 19, 2020 – Today the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) and the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) are pleased to announce the name and leader of the new multi-technology association that will provide a unified voice for solar energy, wind energy, and energy storage in Canada. Effective July 1, 2020, the members of CanSIA and CanWEA will unite within the Canadian Renewable Energy Association under the trusted leadership of Robert Hornung, the long-standing president of CanWEA.

As the founding President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, Mr. Hornung will lead the member-based association in stakeholder advocacy and public engagement focused on ensuring that renewable energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix during this period of historical global transformation.

With a corporate office in Ottawa, the Canadian Renewable Energy Association will have national influence as well as a regional presence in jurisdictions across the country. The association will work to create conditions for a modern energy system that makes significant and positive contributions to Canada’s economy and clean energy future. It will provide forums devoted to dialogue, collaboration and stewardship, and growth of the industry.

The formation of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association reflects the growing importance of innovative energy solutions that integrate multiple renewable energy technologies. The members of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs.

Wind and solar generation meet an already significant and growing proportion of Canadian electricity demand, with a combined grid-connected installed capacity of more than 16,500 megawatts (MW). Recent power purchase contracts have confirmed that wind and solar energy are cost-competitive with conventional generation, with wind now being the lowest-cost source of new electricity generation in Canada. There is also rapid deployment of these technologies at both residential and commercial scales in Canada. Solar PV has been deployed in every province and territory across Canada. As Canada’s leader in residential and commercial solar installations, Ontario reported a total of 2,673 MW in solar PV installations at the end of 2019. Diverse energy storage projects are playing a growing role in maximizing the contributions of clean generation to grid flexibility and reliability, with more than 20 storage facilities under contract by Ontario’s grid operator alone.

Quotes

“The launch of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association is a major step forward toward the realization of more comprehensive energy solutions encompassing wind, solar and energy storage in Canada. It needs a leader with a clear vision of the modern energy system we’re building in Canada, and an understanding of our membership’s unique role in that effort. Robert Hornung brings that to the table, and we look forward to his leadership as our industries join forces in this very exciting new endeavour.”

– Michelle Chislett, Interim Board Chair, Canadian Renewable Energy Association; and Managing Director, Canada & U.S. Development, Northland Power

“We’re launching a new association not only during an ongoing energy transition, but also during the massive challenge of managing through a pandemic and ensuring recovery from its economic impacts. More than ever, Canada’s policy focus must remain on a transition to a clean economy powered by renewable energy. A unified voice for solar energy, wind energy and energy storage will help navigate the way to Canada’s emission reduction targets while creating good jobs and economic opportunity in urban centres, rural areas and Indigenous communities across the country.”

– Jason Chee-Aloy, Interim Board Vice Chair, Canadian Renewable Energy Association; and Managing Director, Power Advisory LLC

“I’m honoured and excited to be leading a new association with a mandate unlike any other. There is a clear public desire to see advancement of the technologies we represent to capture the full promise of a renewable energy future. The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the right vehicle to help make that promise a reality, while delivering great business value to each and every member.”

– Robert Hornung, President & CEO, Canadian Renewable Energy Association

Robert Hornung Biography

Robert Hornung has been President of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) for nearly 17 years. During his time as President, he represented the interests of CanWEA members who are Canada’s wind energy leaders – wind farm owners, operators, project developers, consultants, manufacturers and service providers. Together with members and stakeholders, Robert helped facilitate wind energy growth in Canada from under 300 megawatts to over 13,000 megawatts of installed capacity through advocacy and engagement efforts. Prior to joining CanWEA, Robert worked on climate change issues with the Pembina Institute, Environment Canada, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and Friends of the Earth Canada. Robert is currently on the Advisory Council of Positive Energy, a University of Ottawa research project that seeks to strengthen public confidence in Canadian energy policy.

Background

• Bloomberg NEF has forecasted global investment of US$5.3 trillion in wind power generation assets, US$4.2 trillion in solar power generation assets, and US$843 billion in batteries in the period 2018-2050. It further forecasts that wind and solar will supply almost 50 per cent of the world’s electricity by 2050.
• CanWEA and CanSIA currently share head office space in Ottawa and have a long history of collaboration on matters of mutual interest. Most recently they were among a number of signatories from Canada’s clean energy sector to an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on the need for clean-energy-focused stimulus in order to build a better, more resilient economy in the wake of COVID-19. Learn more about the campaign and share your support for a better, more resilient Canada.
• The amalgamation of CanSIA and CanWEA was approved through separate membership votes on special resolutions on November 28, 2019.
• The Canadian Renewable Energy Association will open its doors on July 1, and hold its first AGM concurrent with its Energy Transformation Canada conference and tradeshow, scheduled for November 10-12 in Toronto.

-30-

About the Canadian Renewable Energy Association

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the voice for wind energy, solar energy and energy storage solutions that will power Canada’s energy future. Our association works to create the conditions for a modern energy system through stakeholder advocacy and public engagement. Our diverse members are uniquely positioned to deliver clean, low-cost, reliable, flexible and scalable solutions for Canada’s energy needs. Our vision is to ensure wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix.

May 13, 2020

CANADA – COVID-19 has disrupted our way of life, and immediate relief has been the priority of governments. But what will recovery look like? And how do we ensure recovery measures aren’t just shovel-ready but shovel-worthy?

A new public letter asking Canadian governments to pursue a “resilient recovery” has attracted the signatures of companies and industry associations across Canada. As of Tuesday, over 200 signatories representing over 2,000 Canadian companies had joined the campaign asking federal and provincial governments to commit to a three-part recovery and resilience plan that would:

• invest stimulus into Canada’s fast-growing clean energy and cleantech sectors and the local production and export of world-leading low- and zero-carbon commodities;
• act quickly to support clean energy and cleantech solutions and businesses by expanding existing initiatives and programs; and
• signal clearly that Canada will continue and expand on its climate and environmental policies.

The letter also emphasizes regional equity and “training and retraining for Canadians whose past jobs may not return, in programs that can and should start now while unemployed workers are sitting at home.”

Ultimately, the signatories say, government stimulus and recovery efforts can do more than just create jobs: they’re an opportunity to encourage economic diversification and innovation, cut both carbon pollution and illness-causing air pollution, and make Canada a more resilient country.

Visit resilientrecovery.ca for more.

Key Facts

• Current signatories of the letter include Clean Energy Canada, the Canadian Wind Energy Association, the Canadian Solar Industries Association, MaRS, Innergex Renewable Energy, Ballard, Canada Cleantech, Efficiency Canada, Advanced Biofuels Canada, Electric Mobility Canada, Waterpower Canada, Energy Storage Canada, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, the Vancouver Economic Commission, ChargePoint, Corvus Energy, Lion Electric, Carbon Engineering, Stantec, Enercon, ecobee and many more. To see the full list of signatories, go to www.resilientrecovery.ca.
• The clean energy sector employs 298,000 Canadians in a wide range of jobs: insulating homes, developing clean technologies, manufacturing electric vehicles and deploying charging infrastructure, building and maintaining wind, solar and hydro projects, producing renewable fuels and more.
• Climate action also supports competitiveness and new opportunities in other sectors of the economy. These include jobs in low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminum, the auto sector, sustainably produced mass timber, agriculture, and mining the metals and minerals used in many clean technologies.
• A recent study from U.S. and U.K. economists found that clean stimulus would “create more jobs, deliver higher short-term returns per dollar spend and lead to increased long-term cost savings, by comparison with traditional fiscal stimulus.”
• After the 2008 financial crisis, President Obama’s recovery spending in clean energy supported 900,000 job-years between 2009 and 2015.

Quotes

“A number of countries around the world, the EU, the International Energy Agency, the International Monetary Fund: what do they all have in common? Each is calling for clean stimulus, for a recovery that supports—not hinders—our crucial climate efforts. The idea of a resilient recovery is now mainstream, it’s good business, and it’s how Canada stays competitive.”

—Merran Smith, Executive Director, Clean Energy Canada

“There are an estimated 1,300 pure play clean technology companies across Canada, most of them small- and medium-sized businesses with massive potential for global growth. Throughout the stimulus and recovery process, Canada has a chance to support these Canadian innovators, create thousands of new, highly skilled jobs, and showcase home-grown technologies that can be exported around the world, all while helping meet our own climate targets. Let’s not let the opportunity slip through the cracks.”

—Jon Dogterom, Senior Vice-President, Venture Services, MaRS

“Canada is home to innovative, renewable energy companies like Innergex, whose mission is to build a better world with renewable energy. As we come through the COVID-19 crisis, Canada has the opportunity to rebuild the country to ensure we are positioned to address the climate crisis. At Innergex, we are ready to collaborate with governments and communities across the country to build economy-stimulating projects and provide family-supporting jobs through reliable and affordable renewable energy and infrastructure solutions for a resilient economic recovery.”

—Michel Letellier, President and CEO, Innergex Renewable Energy

“Supporting clean energy companies will not only create jobs in the short term but it will also help Canada to meet its emission reduction targets. We need to accelerate investments in the development, production and deployment of technology for zero-emission vehicles in order to be carbon neutral by 2050.”

—Randy MacEwen, President and CEO, Ballard Power Systems

– 30 – 

April 8, 2020

OTTAWA — As the conversation in Canada shifts from immediate relief to economic recovery, new questions will arise: what does recovery look like, and how do we design stimulus that delivers secure jobs in a cleaner, innovative and diverse economy?

Done right, the federal government’s stimulus and recovery efforts can create jobs, spur cleantech innovation, encourage economic diversification, cut both carbon pollution and illness-causing air pollution, and ultimately make Canada a more resilient country.

On Friday, April 3, industry and non-profit leaders representing Canada’s clean energy sector—including renewable power, energy efficiency, cleantech, advanced biofuels and electric transportation—submitted an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on the need for clean-energy-focused stimulus in order to build a better, more resilient economy.

You can read the letter here. It emphasizes three overarching recommendations:

1. To signal climate policy continuity and enhancement.
2. To invest in sufficient, sustained and sustainable stimulus.
3. And to move quickly to support clean energy solutions, Canadian cleantech innovation and businesses by expanding existing initiatives and programs.

In particular, the letter says, “investment in economic diversification must place special attention on the regions that need it most and that have seen record layoffs.”

The clean energy sector employs 298,000 Canadians in a wide range of jobs: insulating homes, developing clean technologies, manufacturing electric vehicles, building and maintaining wind, solar and hydro projects, producing renewable fuels—these are just a few examples. Independent modelling has found that, by 2030, Canada’s clean energy sector will employ 559,400 Canadians, thanks in part to climate policies and programs spurring a clean energy growth rate four times the Canadian average.

The energy transition is also enhancing competitiveness and creating new opportunities in other sectors of the economy. These include jobs in low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminum, sustainably produced mass timber, and mining the metals and minerals used in many clean technologies.

In short, a clean recovery creates winners across the country and across the economy. Organizations that support the letter are listed below. Read the letter here.

See contact information below for media interview requests.

Signatories

Merran Smith, Executive Director, Clean Energy Canada, Simon Fraser University

Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin, President & CEO, WaterPower Canada

Robert Hornung, President, Canadian Wind Energy Association

Wesley Johnston, President and CEO, Canadian Solar Industries Association

Daniel Breton, President and CEO, Electric Mobility Canada

Corey Diamond, Executive Director, Efficiency Canada

Ian Thomson, President, Advanced Biofuels Canada

Julia Langer, CEO, The Atmospheric Fund

Jacob Malthouse, Canada Cleantech Alliance

Jeanette Jackson, CEO, Foresight Cleantech Accelerator

Denis Leclerc, President and CEO, Écotech Québec

Maike Althaus, Executive Director, Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association

-30-