Nationwide 100% Renewable Power by 2030

Summary#

This bill directs the federal Minister of Natural Resources to create and carry out a national strategy so that, by December 31, 2030, all electricity generated in Canada comes from renewable sources. It requires consultation with provinces and Indigenous governing bodies, new incentives focused on start-up costs, and regular reports to Parliament. The bill sets objectives for more renewable projects, more research and development, and cooperation on public utilities (National strategy requirement; Objectives; Incentives; Reporting).

• Sets a national goal of 100% renewable electricity by December 31, 2030 (National strategy requirement).
• Requires incentives within 1 year for start-up of solar, wind, tidal, and biomass power projects, and for property retrofits to use more renewable electricity (Incentives).
• Limits incentives to start-up costs; no support for ongoing operating costs (Incentives).
• Calls for measures so that each year, twice as many renewable projects start as non-renewable projects (Objectives).
• Seeks increased renewable energy R&D and cooperation to establish new large-scale public electric utilities (Objectives).
• Requires a strategy report within 2 years and effectiveness reports every 3 years (Reporting).

What it means for you#

• Households

  • New federal incentives could help pay start-up costs to add or upgrade renewable technologies at home (for example, rooftop solar). The Minister must design and implement these incentives within 1 year of the Act coming into force. Amounts and rules are not specified (Incentives).
  • Incentives apply to start-up costs only. They would not cover ongoing bills or maintenance (Incentives).

• Businesses

  • Renewable power developers (solar, wind, tidal, biomass) could access start-up incentives for new projects started after the program launches. Exact funding levels, eligibility, and application process are to be set by the Minister within 1 year (Incentives).
  • Non-renewable generators face a national strategy aimed at 100% renewable electricity by 2030. The bill does not itself ban or tax non-renewable generation, but it directs federal policy to achieve that outcome (National strategy requirement).
  • Firms offering renewable R&D may benefit from federal measures to increase investment in research and development (Objectives).

• Workers

  • The strategy must include measures to create a “renewable energy economy and renewable energy jobs.” The bill does not set job targets or training programs. Details would come through the strategy (Objectives).

• Utilities and grid operators

  • The federal government is to work with provinces to establish new large-scale public electric utilities. The bill does not create utilities directly or assign costs. It calls for cooperation (Objectives).
  • Annual project-mix objective (twice as many renewable as non-renewable project starts) may shift planning and permitting priorities, depending on how measures are designed (Objectives).

• Provinces, territories, and Indigenous governing bodies

  • Must be consulted in designing and implementing the national strategy. The bill relies on cooperation for utility establishment and broader execution (National strategy requirement; Objectives).
  • No specific mandates or cost-sharing formulas are set in the bill.

• Everyone (timelines and transparency)

  • Strategy report due within 2 years of the Act coming into force, posted online within 10 days of tabling. Effectiveness reports are due every 3 years after that (Reporting).

Expenses#

• Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• Key points

  • No explicit appropriation amounts are in the bill (Bill text).
  • The Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Finance must design and implement start-up incentives for specified renewables and property retrofits within 1 year. The bill does not set funding levels, duration, or caps (Incentives).
  • Administrative costs to develop the national strategy and prepare periodic reports are implied but not quantified (Reporting).
  • Any provincial or utility costs would depend on future intergovernmental agreements. The bill does not assign costs (Objectives).

Proponents' View#

• Aligns electricity policy with Canada’s climate targets by setting a clear 2030 deadline for 100% renewable generation and supporting measures to reach it (National strategy requirement; Preamble).
• Uses start-up-only incentives to catalyze private investment while limiting exposure to ongoing subsidies (Incentives).
• Requires regular public reporting, which supports accountability and course correction if progress lags (Reporting).
• Commits to increasing renewable energy R&D investment, which proponents say can lower costs and speed deployment (Objectives).
• Involves provinces and Indigenous governing bodies from the start, which may improve coordination and consent for major projects (National strategy requirement).
• Cites expected clean energy job and GDP growth as benefits of accelerating the transition (Preamble).

Opponents' View#

• Sets a binding national outcome for 2030 without specifying the tools, funding levels, or enforcement mechanisms to achieve it, creating implementation risk (National strategy requirement; Incentives).
• Electricity is mainly a provincial responsibility; relying on “cooperation” may delay action or create uneven results across regions (Objectives).
• Limits incentives to start-up costs and to certain technologies, leaving gaps for transmission, storage, and operating support that may be needed for grid reliability (Incentives; bill is silent on transmission and storage).
• The “twice as many projects” objective counts project starts, not capacity or output, which could misalign incentives and dilute impact (Objectives).
• The bill provides a broad definition of renewable energy but sets no sustainability criteria or tracking rules, which could lead to disputes over what qualifies (Definitions; Incentives).