Overview
Founded in 1998, WaterPower Canada (WPC) is the national, not-for-profit trade association dedicated to representing the waterpower industry. Its many members span the breadth of the sector and include hydropower producers, manufacturers, developers, engineering firms and other organizations. WaterPower Canada members represent more than 95% of the waterpower installed capacity in Canada, advocating for the responsible development and use of waterpower to meet our present and future electricity needs in a sustainable manner.
Waterpower provides more than 60% of Canada’s electricity and is the fourth largest generator in the world, ensuring our electricity grid is one of the cleanest globally.
Waterpower provides more than 60% of Canada’s electricity making us the fourth largest waterpower generator in the world, ensuring our electricity grid is one of the cleanest globally.
What We Do
Advocate
- Our role is to represent the industry nationally in front of elected officials, public servants, media and the general public. We gather industry data, develop statistics and lead research that highlight the role hydropower plays in Canada, promotes continuous improvement and engagement with our partners.
- Acting as a unified voice monitoring the pulse of federal policy evolution and advocating on behalf of the industry, ensuring a better future for not only its members, but all Canadians.
Network
- Unmatched opportunities to network with all the largest hydropower producers in the country, independent power producers and private sector companies providing goods and services to the industry.
- The WPC annual conference and trade show also provides an unparalleled opportunity to discover the state of hydropower development across Canada and to network with waterpower stakeholders and influencers.
Research
- Providing access to exclusive industry knowledge and sharing of information through activities carried out by our various committees.
- Unlimited access to these committees, publications and network opportunities!
- Since its inception in 1998, the Association has authored and lead the development of many reports and studies.
Areas of Focus
Community
Communities and customers across Canada demand clean, renewable, reliable and affordable electricity. While waterpower delivers and can do even more, one thing is clear: projects must benefit their host communities and respect the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples. The waterpower industry devotes significant time and resources to fostering long-term relations with communities where it operates. We make commitments that extend over decades. The benefits that our industry provides are meant to foster community development, create economic opportunities, and provide cultural and social support.
Learn more about how Canada’s waterpower industry is working with our communities
Environment
Canadian hydropower not only ensures renewable and reliable electricity for Canadians, it can also provide environmental benefits. Hydropower produces no air pollutants and has ultra-low greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, hydropower’s full life cycle greenhouse gas emissions are as low as wind power and in many cases can be even lower. Hydropower can fight climate change while helping Canadians adapt to its effects.
Economy
6 out of 10 Canadian homes and businesses are powered by clean and renewable waterpower. In addition to the significant environmental benefits associated with hydroelectric power, the industry also generates substantial ongoing contributions to economic activity in the form of Gross Domestic Product and employment. Throughout its 130 year history in Canada, waterpower has helped develop remote regions, attracted industries, stimulated economic growth, nurtured innovation, and created world-class expertise. Hydropower has been and continues to be a driving force for Canada’s economy.
Regulatory
WaterPower Canada is very active at the national level, collaborating with other organizations, government agencies and policy makers to stay abreast of legislative changes affecting the industry and to ensure our sector can continue to operate its hydropower fleet and develop new sites.
Meet the Team
WaterPower Canada is a dynamic, national organization promoting waterpower as a clean and renewable electricity source. Learn more about the people behind WPC.
Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin
President & CEO
Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin
President & CEO
Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin has been working in the natural resources sector for over a decade. In her current role as President and CEO of WaterPower Canada she represents and is the national spokesperson for the largest electricity sector in Canada, one that generates billions of dollars for the Canadian economy every year and employs more than a 130,000 people across the country.
A tireless champion for sustainable development, her career has been focused on advancing technologies and industries that help better Canada’s environmental profile. She works with stakeholders at the political and policy levels, is regularly quoted in national media and sits on several Boards of Directors.
In 2019, Anne-Raphaëlle was appointed by the Canadian federal government to serve on the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (Joint Public Advisory Committee), a trilateral organization comprised of Canada, the U.S.A. and Mexico, with the mission to promote continental cooperation in ecosystem protection and sustainable economic development, and to ensure active public participation and transparency in the actions of the Commission. She is also a co-founder of the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity (CanCORE).
Anne-Raphaëlle speaks French, English and Spanish and is certified in Project Planning and Controls. She has a degree in Political Science from the Université of Nantes (France), a Civil Law degree and a Common Law degree from the University of Ottawa. She also earned a Master’s degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Management from Dalhousie University. Before WaterPower Canada, Anne-Raphaëlle worked for several years as an Environmental and Social Impacts Management Specialist for Hatch Ltd., an international engineering consulting firm.
She lives in Ottawa with her husband, two young children and orange cat, Nemo.
Patrick D. Bateman
Senior Vice President
Patrick D. Bateman
Senior Vice President
Patrick D. Bateman is a clean and renewable energy professional who has spent his career working in policy and market development leadership roles in Canada’s electricity industry.
As the Senior Vice President at WaterPower Canada, Patrick leads and shapes the association’s involvement in federal legislative, regulatory, and policy initiatives including on topics such as climate change policy, environmental assessment, and fisheries, wildlife and habitat stewardship.
Patrick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology from University College Dublin’s School of Biology and Environmental Science (Ireland), and a Master’s degree in Renewable Energy from the University of Reading’s School of Construction Management and Engineering (England).
Patrick’s vision for Canada in 2050 is: 100% emissions-free electricity; electricity as our single largest energy source; and hydroelectricity as the flexible and dependable backbone of the reliable and resilient electricity supply-mix.
Patrick hails from Greystones, a small village on the Irish Sea 25 km south of Dublin (Ireland) and now calls Ottawa (Ontario) home where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
Yvonne Jack
Office Manager
Yvonne Jack
Office Manager
Yvonne joined WaterPower Canada in 2009 and is responsible for the associations finances and administration. Yvonne has a diploma in Secretarial and Economics and Law from Stamford Collegiate Vocational Institute. She speaks English and Italian. Prior to joining WaterPower Canada, Yvonne spent her entire career in the hydropower sector while working for a major international consulting engineering firm that specializes in the development, design and construction of hydro projects. From this experience, Yvonne is a strong advocate and promoter of the waterpower industry.
Anastasia Smolentseva
Communications and Public Relations Manager
Anastasia Smolentseva
Communications and Public Relations Manager
Anastasia Smolentseva is a senior purpose-driven communications professional with nearly a decade of experience working with national associations.
In her role as Communications and Public Relations Manager with WaterPower Canada, Anastasia’s responsibilities include developing and executing communications and marketing strategies that build community and awareness around hydropower’s role as a clean and renewable energy resource that is central to Canada’s economic competitiveness, and the transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in North America.
Anastasia’s many accolades include a Master of Communication degree from the University of Ottawa, and an Award of Merit from the Ottawa Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Prior to joining WPC, Anastasia worked for the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA), and the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) where she developed her passion and acumen as an advocate for renewable energy and environmental sustainability.
Board of Directors
Founded in 1998, WaterPower Canada is membership-driven and operates under an elected representative Board of Directors. Meet the WaterPower senior experts who help guide WaterPower Canada:
Richard Brittin
BC Hydro
Serge Abergel
Hydro-Québec
Gilbert Bennett
Nalcor Energy
Daniel Carrier
Andritz Hydro Canada Inc
Simon Gagne
Kiewit
Robin Wentzel
ATCO Power
Nicolle Butcher
Ontario Power Generation
Franz Kropp
Portage Power
Eric Cossette
Aecom
Daniel Granger
GE Renewable Energy Canada Inc
Lorne Midford
Manitoba Hydro
Josée Guibord
Evolugen
Christophe Rigny
SNC Lavalin
Eric Lamontagne
Voith Hydro Inc.