Améliorer l’intégration et la coordination des secteurs de l’électricité gérés par les provinces au Canada

The document analyzes the diverse structures of Canada's provincial electricity markets, noting that a lack of coordination creates economic inefficiencies and hinders the integration of renewable energy. It identifies key barriers to integration, such as constitutional jurisdictional splits and political inertia, and proposes four strategies—bilateral collaboration, a Nordic-inspired bottom-up approach, a free-trade framework, and a health-care-style principles-based model—to foster a more integrated national grid necessary for deep decarbonization.

• Canadian provincial electricity sectors are highly fragmented, with significant variations in pricing (ranging from 7 ¢/kWh to 16 ¢/kWh in 2019) and consumption patterns, leading to a near-total disconnection between markets.
• The market structures vary across three dimensions: vertical integration, ownership (public vs. private), and competition. The most common model is the vertically integrated state-owned enterprise with limited competition, found in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Electricity emissions are most concentrated in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia, which together emit approximately 60 Mt of GHG, representing about 10% of Canada's total emissions.
• Integration of the electricity sector offers three primary opportunities: improving economic efficiency by reducing cost disparities, better integrating intermittent renewables by utilizing the hydroelectric storage potential of British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and supporting technological innovation such as electric vehicles and smart homes.
• Several systemic barriers impede integration, including the constitutional division of powers where provinces control energy resources, a lack of integrated government governance for 2050 decarbonization, and political pressure from stakeholders wanting to protect low tariffs or market shares.
• The author proposes four strategies for increased collaboration: enhancing bilateral projects with federal support, adopting a 'Nordic-inspired' bottom-up convergence of provincial rules, negotiating a free-trade agreement within the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), or implementing a federal framework based on common principles similar to the Canadian healthcare system.

APA

Pineau, P.-O. (n.d.). Améliorer l’intégration et la coordination des secteurs de l’électricité gérés par les provinces au Canada. Canadian Climate Institute. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ICCC-Ameliorer-l_integration-et-la-coordination-des-secteurs-de-l_electricite-geres-par-les-provinces-au-Canada-par-Pierre-Olivier-Pineau.pdf

Chicago

Pineau, Pierre-Olivier. Améliorer l’intégration et la coordination des secteurs de l’électricité gérés par les provinces au Canada. Canadian Climate Institute, n.d. https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ICCC-Ameliorer-l_integration-et-la-coordination-des-secteurs-de-l_electricite-geres-par-les-provinces-au-Canada-par-Pierre-Olivier-Pineau.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pineau |first1=Pierre-Olivier |title=Améliorer l’intégration et la coordination des secteurs de l’électricité gérés par les provinces au Canada |publisher=Canadian Climate Institute |url=https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ICCC-Ameliorer-l_integration-et-la-coordination-des-secteurs-de-l_electricite-geres-par-les-provinces-au-Canada-par-Pierre-Olivier-Pineau.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pineaundamliorer, author = {Pineau, Pierre-Olivier}, title = {{Améliorer l’intégration et la coordination des secteurs de l’électricité gérés par les provinces au Canada}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, url = {https://institutclimatique.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ICCC-Ameliorer-l_integration-et-la-coordination-des-secteurs-de-l_electricite-geres-par-les-provinces-au-Canada-par-Pierre-Olivier-Pineau.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }