MONTREAL | TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE KANIEN’KEHÁ:KA FIRST NATION
Electricity Canada is joining major fossil fuel companies in using scaremongering and misleading claims about the move to a clean electricity grid, the David Suzuki Foundation says.
The Foundation is calling out this misinformation campaign against the federal government’s proposed clean electricity regulations by the industry body representing large electric utilities.
Research and modelling from the David Suzuki Foundation and others show Canada is able to achieve affordable, reliable, net-zero electricity by 2035, while around the world many of Canada’s allies are already moving toward targets for clean electricity by 2035.
The Foundation is calling for the federal government to release the final clean electricity regulations as soon as possible, and for the regulations to phase out fossil fuels on Canada’s electricity grid by 2035.
Stephen Thomas, Clean Energy Manager, David Suzuki Foundation, said:
“Electricity systems are complicated, but this choice is simple. We either go down a pathway that maximizes profits for fossil fuel billionaires and delays climate action or we embrace the pathways to affordable, reliable, clean electricity for everyone living in Canada.
“It’s disappointing to see an industry association like Electricity Canada employ such misleading rhetoric because some of its fossil fuel–powered members are delaying the transition to clean energy. The benefits to fossil fuel interests would come at the cost of health and long-term affordability for people in Canada.
“Electricity Canada claims that Canada’s electricity system will be unreliable without large amounts of new and existing natural gas. This is misleading as regional grids without significant natural gas already exist in Canada and around the world, and the clean electricity regulations already include significant extensions and exemptions for natural gas.
“We believe they’re really saying that carbon capture for natural gas electricity is expensive, unreliable and unlikely to be ready in 2035, 2040 or beyond. On that point we couldn’t agree more. This is why we stand behind our research that shows that renewables, energy efficiency, energy storage, existing hydroelectricity and grid connections between provinces can work together to meet our demands for electricity where and when we need it.
“It’s disappointing to see Electricity Canada and other fossil fuel interests frame this energy transition as a risk, instead of what it really is: the opportunity to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, invest in our communities, lower energy bills and act on climate change.
“We know that Electricity Canada has many members who are taking a leadership role in the move to clean electricity — and those members should reject this misinformation.
“The rest of the world is moving to renewable power sources at a record-breaking pace because it is better for the environment and cheaper for consumers. Canada’s global competitiveness and leadership are at risk if we don’t see these clean electricity regulations this fall.
“Clean electricity is also more affordable. Wind and solar are the cheapest forms of electricity in history. Multiple reports, including our own, show that as Canada moves to zero-emissions electricity, household energy bills will go down for everyone.
“The federal government should remember that fossil fuel interests will always fight climate action. Industry rhetoric in 2017 and 2018 was similar when regulations were being developed for a 2030 phase-out of coal-fired electricity. Now, provinces are meeting coal phase-out targets early and accelerating timelines even faster than the regulations require, while saving money.
“We call on the federal government to stand its ground on these crucially important clean electricity regulations.”