OTTAWA — Jason Dion, Senior Research Director for the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement on the federal government’s revised design of the Clean Electricity Regulations:
“The revised design for the draft Clean Electricity Regulations is a welcome change that will deliver more flexibility for grid operators in order to protect reliability and support affordability for people and businesses. Finalizing the regulations as early as possible would give policy certainty to grid operators, which would help with planning and investment.
“Electrification is critical to Canada’s climate progress and economic competitiveness in the global race to a net zero emissions. In short, Canada needs bigger, cleaner, smarter electricity systems. Businesses are already demanding clean electricity as a prerequisite for investments.
“The federal government has proposed a new approach to address the feedback and concerns of many stakeholders. A number of experts and organizations, including the Canadian Climate Institute and the Canada Electricity Advisory Council, have called for changes to the existing regulations to add more flexibility. The government’s proposed changes offer a pragmatic balance that will reduce carbon pollution and ensure electricity systems are reliable over time, as more of the national economy electrifies.
“Now the revised policy design has been released, government should finalize the regulations as early as possible. Time is of the essence: the government should expedite other important pieces of the puzzle, like a shift away from output-based carbon pricing in the sector toward full pricing with revenues returned to ratepayers, as well as finalizing the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit.”
Resources:
- Fact sheet: Clean electricity in Canada
- Report: Clean Electricity, Affordable Energy: How federal and provincial governments can save Canadians money on the path to net zero
- Blog: Understanding the Understanding the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations (part 1)
- Blog: Understanding the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations (part 2)
- Report: The Big Switch: Powering Canada’s net zero future
CONTACT
Catharine Tunnacliffe
Communications Director
Canadian Climate Institute
(226) 212-9883
ctunnacliffe@climateinstitute.ca
