Power Play

The report finds that Canadian provinces are generally underplanning for industrial electricity growth and lagging in transmission investment, though hydro-led jurisdictions possess a natural advantage in system flexibility. It recommends that the federal government support inter-provincial planning, provide strategic funding for grid build-out, implement flexible Clean Electricity Regulations, and prioritize system flexibility in investment programs.

• Canadian electricity systems are underplanning for industrial growth, with regulatory frameworks prioritizing the prevention of over-building over the economic risks of underbuilding. Most provinces face significant gaps in their electricity plans relative to current industrial grid connection requests, with Alberta having the largest gap, while Ontario and Quebec are closest to planning for their industrial demand queues.
• Provinces with hydro-dominant systems, specifically British Columbia and Quebec, have a competitive advantage in system flexibility because their reservoirs can balance supply and demand across various timescales. In contrast, non-hydro jurisdictions like Alberta and Ontario must proactively build flexibility through batteries and grid connections, a process that international non-hydro peers are currently executing faster than their peak demand growth.
• Transmission investment is lagging in some Canadian provinces, which risks wasting electricity as shares of decentralized wind and solar power increase. Alberta is specifically cited as a jurisdiction where transmission has not kept pace with the addition of wind and solar capacity.
• Canada has a comparative advantage in industrial demand flexibility, with Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta utilizing tools to reduce or shift peak demand more than many international peers. However, there remains untapped potential for growth in this area across all provinces.
• Climate policy certainty varies by province, with British Columbia and Quebec providing more durable signals through legislation and, in Quebec's case, linkage to California's carbon market. While all four analyzed provinces have industrial carbon pricing, Alberta's agreement with the federal government may improve long-term certainty but could weaken incentives for electrification.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (n.d.). Power Play. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Executive-summary-Power-Play-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. Power Play. n.d. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Executive-summary-Power-Play-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=Power Play |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Executive-summary-Power-Play-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitutendpower, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{Power Play}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Executive-summary-Power-Play-Canadian-Climate-Institute.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }