Investing in clean power can lead to big pay-offs for Canada’s economy

Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from surging global electricity demand and corporate net-zero commitments because approximately 85 per cent of its electricity is already non-emitting. This clean energy advantage has already attracted significant investments in electric vehicle manufacturing in Ontario and data centers in Quebec. To maintain this competitive edge and ensure energy affordability, the document asserts that Canadian provincial and territorial governments must prioritize strategic grid expansion and modernization.

• Global electricity demand is projected to grow between 2.4-3.5 per cent annually until 2050, driven by electrified transport, heating, artificial intelligence, and net-zero goals, while fossil fuel demand is expected to peak within this decade.
• Canada possesses a significant competitive advantage in the market for carbon-neutral goods and services, as over 80 per cent of its electricity is non-emitting, ranking it third among the top 20 global electricity producers for non-emitting generation.
• Ontario has utilized its low emissions-intensity electricity to attract $44 billion in investments for electric vehicle and battery plants, including a $15 billion investment from Honda and a $7 billion plant from Volkswagen.
• Quebec has attracted investment in battery materials and AI infrastructure due to its clean, reliable hydropower, including a $500 million USD investment from Microsoft in 2023 for four new data centers.
• Canadian provinces are implementing large-scale investments to meet growing demand, such as Hydro-Quebec's $185 billion plan over 12 years and BC Hydro's power purchase agreements for nine wind projects to increase supply by 8 per cent.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2025). Investing in clean power can lead to big pay-offs for Canada’s economy. https://climateinstitute.ca/investing-in-clean-power-can-lead-to-big-pay-offs-for-canadas-economy/

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. Investing in clean power can lead to big pay-offs for Canada’s economy. 2025. https://climateinstitute.ca/investing-in-clean-power-can-lead-to-big-pay-offs-for-canadas-economy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=Investing in clean power can lead to big pay-offs for Canada’s economy |date=27 March 2025 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/investing-in-clean-power-can-lead-to-big-pay-offs-for-canadas-economy/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianclimateinstitute2025investing, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{Investing in clean power can lead to big pay-offs for Canada’s economy}}, publisher = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/investing-in-clean-power-can-lead-to-big-pay-offs-for-canadas-economy/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }