Ottawa, Ontario, August 5, 2021 – WaterPower Canada today presented a list of recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance that would maximize the contribution of hydropower to Canada’s future economic competitiveness, and enable the achievement of our legislated national greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
The recommendations are listed as follows:
1. That, when implementing the whole-of-government plan for climate action, the government recognize that continued investments by industry in: existing hydropower generation, storage, and transmission assets; and in the development of new projects (including Pumped Storage Hydro, and transmission lines) are critical to Canada’s future economic competitiveness and climate change policy objectives.
2. That the government improve the investment climate for hydropower assets and projects, including by:
2.1 Improving regulations and policies and providing additional compliance mechanisms and a greater level of regulatory efficiency for the implementation of current federal legislation.
2.2 Providing long-term climate change policy stability and certainty by making the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act come into force.
2.3 Prioritizing the recommendations of the Canadian Council on Renewable Electricity (CanCORE) with regard to achieving 90% non-emitting electricity by 2030, and net-zero electricity well before 2050.
3. That the government support growth in demand for Canadian hydroelectricity, including by:
3.1 Prioritizing the recommendations of Electricity Alliance Canada with regard to investments in “electrification” and “green hydrogen.”
3.2 Continuing to recognize the importance of the Canada-US electricity relationship, modernizing the Canada Energy Regulator Export and Import Regulatory Framework, and recognizing the special case and value of two-way electricity trade between Canada and the US in reducing global GHG emissions in the development of potential Border Carbon Adjustments.
Read WaterPower Canada’s full submission here.
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About WaterPower Canada (WPC)
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.
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For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:
Anastasia Smolentseva, Manager, Communications and Public Relations
WaterPower Canada
613-857-3359
anastasia@waterpowercanada.ca