Canada’s Electricity Infrastructure: Building a Case for Investment

Electricity is an important part of the Canadian economy. In 2010, the Canadian electricity sector contributed $24.6 billion to Canada’s economy and employed 116,000 workers. Canadians enjoy some of the lowest energy prices among OECD countries, mostly from renewable or low-emission energy sources.

Currently, the electricity sector faces major investments in new infrastructure. The pace of investment must accelerate to accommodate a changing generation mix and changing market requirements, and to replace or update aging assets. The sector is expected to invest $293.8 billion from 2010 to 2030 to maintain existing assets and meet market growth.

This study analyzes the current state of Canadian electricity infrastructure and determines the level of future investment needed to meet electricity needs by 2030. It looks at the provincial investment plans in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution and compares them with future electricity demands and export plans.