Advocacy

WaterPower Canada passionately advocates for policies that promote sustainable hydropower operations and development, emphasizing its role in combating climate change and fostering economic growth. Through collaborative engagement with stakeholders, they strive to advance a clean energy future while ensuring environmental stewardship and community well-being.

Scroll

Member Committees

WPC’s Member Committees promote a forum for Members to exchange perspectives with their peers on their operational experience with existing legislation, regulations and programs, and how new measures can be best crafted. The work of our Member Committees forms the foundation of WPC’s advocacy work and directly drives our position on national issues on behalf of the waterpower industry. Member Committees are instrumental in formulating WPC’s input and feedback for federal legislation, regulation, and policy.

Member Committees are proposed based on an identified need from membership and they are established through a Board of Directors resolution.

WPC currently operates five member committees:

Communications & Advocacy Working Group (CAWG)

The Communications and Advocacy Working Group brings together dedicated government relations and communications professionals to share insights about political developments, policy initiatives, and government and stakeholder outreach, helping the WPC team ensure it has a good read on issues coast to coast.

Relying on the technical expertise brought forth by the Electricity Policy Working Group and the Fisheries and Permitting Working Group, the Communications and Advocacy Working Group serves as a sounding board for WPC’s public campaign messaging and advocacy initiatives, contributing to amplifying the industry’s voice on crucial issues.

Electricity Policy Working Group (EPWG)

The Electricity Policy Working Group comprises subject matter experts in electricity policy. The working group monitors the development of federal legislation related to carbon taxation, clean electricity regulation, investment tax credits, and greenhouse gas emissions reporting, with a particular focus on emissions from hydroelectric reservoirs.

Its members analyze and weigh in on the technical aspects of proposed legislation, helping WPC define the association’s policy positions.

The Future of Hydropower Working Group (FHWG)

The Future of Hydropower Working Group brings together leaders from our members’ business development and human resources teams to identify opportunities and impediments to growth for the hydropower industry. This working group analyzes trends, identifies and helps close information gaps among decision-makers and stakeholders, and determines the study and data-gathering priorities that are key to advancing the case for new and refurbished hydropower in Canada.

With a focus on skilled labour, interprovincial and international trade barriers, and long-term development strategies, this committee’s work will help guide our association in addressing constraints that impact our industry’s potential growth while advancing the business case for additional Canadian hydropower at the national level.

Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Working Group (FEAWG) 

The Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Working Group brings together technical experts and environmental management specialists from member companies to monitor the development of federal legislation such as the Fisheries Act, the Impact Assessment Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, and the Canadian Navigable Waters Act.

This working group serves as a vital platform for exchanging information on the federal regulations and policies that impact permitting for hydropower facilities and advises WPC on policy positions and key submissions related to such matters. These submissions are instrumental in our efforts to make authorization mechanisms more timely and less burdensome.

Indigenous Relations Committee

Comprised of WPC members and external subject matter experts, WaterPower Canada’s Indigenous Relations Committee comes together as necessary to advise the WPC team on policy initiatives that support Indigenous participation and leadership in waterpower projects and foster mutually beneficial relationships between the Canadian hydropower industry and Indigenous communities and organizations, ensuring that Indigenous rights, values, and interests are integral to the planning, implementation, and operating processes.

As WPC members all individually maintain close relationships with First Nations in the context of their projects, the committee plays an advisory role when needed, supporting members’ efforts to advance sustainable development and reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

Request for Proposals (RFP)

WPC is currently inviting qualified organizations to submit the following proposals :

Comprehensive Analysis of Project Evaluations for Hydropower vs. Nuclear, Wind, and Solar Generation

This Request for Proposals (RFP) invites qualified organizations to submit proposals to analyse and report on relevant factors that would influence an economic evaluation of a hydropower facility compared to generation alternatives. 

Please view the full details here.

Deadline to submit: February 15, 2025