Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Federal government releases new draft regulations on clean electricity

Share
OTTAWA -

Electricity infrastructure expenses are expected increase significantly over the next several decades as maintenance and increased demand is estimated to cost $400 billion by 2050.

The country's grid is already nearly 85 per cent clean, but demand is expected to double by 2050 as things like cars, buses and trains become electric.

"Why not make sure that this build-out is clean and affordable?" the minister posited.

The government expects the draft regulations would decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 342 million tonnes between 2024 and 2050.

The ministry has been seeking feedback on the regulatory framework for nearly a year and will consult on the draft regulations for 75 days, with a final version expected to be published in January 2025.

They won't come into effect until 2035, but given the long lead time needed to build new electricity infrastructure Guilbeault said the government wants to give the industry plenty of notice.

"One thing we've heard from investors, from energy companies, is: 'Tell us what the rules are, and we will comply with them,"' the minister said of the consultations so far.

"They want to know what the rules of the game will be, and that's exactly what we're doing. We're giving them a lot of time to prepare."

Guilbeault said the draft regulations are designed to be affordable and achievable with existing technology that is already being used across the country.

They are also intended to show some flexibility, he said, particularly for remote communities that aren't part of the power grid and will be exempt from the new rules.

Federal and provincial governments are working together on plans and projects to reduce and eliminate the dependence on fossil fuels in remote communities, he said.

"We understand we're not there yet, which is why we've decided to ensure that the regulations wouldn't apply to them," the minister said.

He would not say if they have a timeline in mind to make clean electricity more accessible to all those communities that will be exempt.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2023.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected