Clean Technologies

Highlights

“The Government of Canada is committed to supporting a promising ecosystem that is vital for a sustainable, prosperous Canada. Canadaʼs clean technology producers are world leaders and key to the governmentʼs goal of reaching targets set in the Paris Accord.”

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism.

Canadaʼs clean technology market is set to exceed Can$2.5 trillion by 2022, and the Government has committed to ensuring that it becomes one of the countryʼs top five exporting industries by 2025, tripling the current value of exports to Can$20 billion annually. The global transition to a low-carbon, low-pollution and resource-efficient economy is an increasing opportunity for Canada, and its clean technology industries are well-positioned to compete and win in this global market. Canada was ranked number one in the G20 for clean technology innovation in both 2019 and 2020, and 12 Canadian companies were recognized on the 2019 Global Cleantech 100 list, selected from 8,000 companies across 80 countries.

According to the most recent Global Cleantech Innovation Index (GCII) 2017, Canadaʼs cleantech sector ranked fourth in the world and first in the G20, climbing up from seventh place in the global ranking in 2014, and jumping ahead of the US, Israel, and the UK. The report attributed Canadaʼs improvement to its tripling in the number and value of cleantech funds and domestic investments targeting the sector.

In 2017, the Federal Government committed more than Can$2.3 billion to continue its support for clean technology in Canada and the growth of Canadian firms and exports. This funding is channeled through various federal agencies and programmes that deliver training, finance and business advice for entrepreneurs and businesses at every stage of business development from R&D, commercialisation, to adoption, growth and exporting.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) helps Canadian companies to develop and deploy competitive clean technology solutions to help solve some of the worldʼs most pressing environmental challenges such as climate change, clean air, clean water and clean soil. Since its inception, SDTC has invested over Can$1.28 billion in 450 companies, creating 14,600 jobs. Its companies have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 19.3 megatonnes annually, equivalent to taking almost 6 million cars off the roads every year. Recipients include: Savormetrics, Toronto (Can$2m), which uses sensors and AI to measure and predict food quality, thereby minimising waste; HD-Petroleum Inc, Winnipeg (Can$3.2m), converts used oil into distillate fuel products such as diesel, driving cities to re-refine their oil instead of sending it to waste; Nouveau Monde Graphite, Montreal (Can$4.3m), converts low-grade graphite flakes into value-added materials used in batteries, and BluWave-ai, Ottawa (Can$2.4m) whose artificial intelligence software improves energy grid predictions, optimisations, and controls for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar farms.

In addition, federal, provincial and territorial governments are working toward a zero-emissions vehicle strategy designed to increase the number of zero-emissions vehicles on the road and complementing this strategy will be the deployment of infrastructure for electric vehicle charging.

Compared to most OECD countries, Canada already has a high share of renewables in its energy supply. 16.3% of Canadaʼs energy comes from renewables, with most provinces already producing a significant amount of power from non-emitting sources like hydro, wind, and solar. Furthermore, the country aims to have 90% of its electricity coming from non-emitting sources by 2030.

In 2018, Canada was the third largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world and moving water is by far the most important renewable energy source in Canada. Hydro plants are found in nine of its ten provinces, and while a lot of it is sold cheaply to Canadians, several provinces export a much larger percentage than they consume. Québec exports hydroelectricity to Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York, in addition to selling it to other provinces.

WaterPower Canada (WPC) is the national, not-for-profit trade association dedicated to representing the waterpower industry. Together, its members provide more than 60% of Canada’s electricity making it the second largest hydro power generator in the world, and ensuring the Country’s electricity grid is one of the cleanest globally.