A Vision for Clean Energy Transformation

VANCOUVER – CLIMATE – In response to the growing shift towards electric vehicles, home-based electric heat pumps, and greener business operations, the Government of Canada released “Powering Canada Forward”. This ambitious vision seeks to transform Canada’s electricity sector, aiming to decarbonize our grids by 2035, guaranteeing system reliability and household affordability.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, highlighted that Powering Canada Forward serves as a national call to unite Canadians in the mission to establish Canada’s first Clean Electricity Strategy, expected in 2024.

Canada’s Unions: An Integral Role in the Transition

The Canadian Labour Congress commends the federal government’s plans for a net-zero electricity grid, recognizing the vast economic potential it holds. Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, stressed the importance of integrating workers and their unions in this transition. She stated, “Workers in communities across Canada are leading the transition to powering the country with sustainable energy. They expect the government to take ambitious action to move with them.”

With the vision of an inclusive transition, plans have been laid out to ensure equity-seeking groups, including women, Indigenous, and racialized workers, find pathways into these sustainable job sectors. Bruske further emphasized, “These workers are the ones who will make our transition possible; we won’t meet our climate goals without them.”

Building Together for a Sustainable Future

Both the Government of Canada and Canada’s unions reiterate the need for active collaboration among provinces, territories, Indigenous leaders, industry experts, and more. The federal government aims to take a pivotal role in regulating the environment, facilitating strategic investments, and bolstering collaboration at provincial and territorial levels.

Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, expressed, “Building a clean grid across is a generational opportunity for Canada. Retrofitting power plants and building new clean sources of electricity means cleaner air and the creation of good jobs in communities across Canada.”