Canada’s Clean Energy Growth Economy Indicators
June 9, 2022
This platform monitors progress toward a clean energy growth economy. It tracks the movement of indicators under three themes: economy, environment, and society.
Since this platform was released in 2021, Canada’s energy transition has come into sharper focus. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) released the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan in March 2022, and the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (CNZEA) was introduced in July 2021. The plan specifies sector-by-sector emissions reduction targets aimed at reducing total emissions by 40 per cent to 45 per cent by 2030.
This update provides insights into how we are delivering on those commitments.
What’s New?
Industry-level macroeconomic and environmental data now extend to 2020.* In addition to minor corrections and adjustments, two important parts of the methodology have been updated:
- Canada’s transition progress is now summarized using a single time series. Changes are explained in each of the 14 sub-indicators being monitored.
- “Growth Prospects” has been updated. This series now reflects changes in the rate of foreign direct investment between energy producers and energy consumers over time.
* Data for our “Compensation” indicator were not yet available for 2020. Data for GDP, exports, and goods and services are available for 2021.
Deep carbon-abatement technologies and engaged, efficiency-minded consumers are essential to achieve equitable clean energy growth in line with net zero.
- Canada’s energy system is moving in the right direction—output is expanding while energy intensity and emissions intensity decline. Growth must be shared more inclusively.
- Stacked against the demands of a net-zero transition by 2050, progress is not fast enough. Most concerning is that absolute emissions continue to rise due to passive consumers and an energy-intensive upstream sector.
- Energy producers must continue deploying new technologies to cut the emissions intensity of energy production. While energy intensity fell 4 per cent from 2012 to 2019, emissions rose 13 per cent as economic output expanded by nearly one-quarter over the same period.
- Consumers must stop free-riding on power sector reforms. Canadians need to change their behaviour at home and at work. To make any meaningful contribution to the energy system transition, we need to eliminate waste and maximize the efficient use of energy, water, land, and other natural inputs.
What Do We Mean by Energy Producers and Energy Consumers?
Energy producers, defined by Statistics Canada, are oil and gas extraction, coal mining, uranium mining, support activities for oil and gas extraction, electric utilities, natural gas utilities, natural gas distribution, petroleum and coal product manufacturing and pipeline transportation.
Energy consumers make up the balance of sectors in the Canadian economy.
About the Platform
The CEGE Indicator Platform is an interactive online dashboard to monitor our progress toward a clean energy growth economy in Canada. Over the next few years, we will track movements in Canada’s energy system across three themes: Economy, Environment, and Society.
Drawing from 14 indicators under these three themes, we produce a picture of how we’re doing. And by segmenting the information between energy producers and energy consumers, we can also target where change is happening or where it needs to happen. This platform shows the latest annual change for each theme and for each indicator. It also shows historical trends. You can filter each indicator by energy segment (producers or consumers) and by reference period.
Environment
Reducing human-induced environmental impacts and using natural resources responsibly.
Energy Is Transformative
Our energy system impacts all aspects of life in Canada. Energy use is responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, which are disrupting our economy, environment, and society.
And right now, the system is undergoing transformation—driven by government, businesses, and consumer decision-making. Tracking the impact of these decisions is an important part of transitioning to a clean energy growth economy and a sustainable future.
Who We Are
Moving to a clean energy growth economy in Canada requires a long-term transformation that balances the need for environmental protection, economic growth, and social prosperity.
The mandate of Signal49 Research’s Centre for a Clean Energy Growth Economy is to support the research and dialogue required to make this transition in Canada.
For a deeper look, read our issue briefing:
Measuring What Matters: An Energy-system Perspective on Sustainability