November 2009 News Update |
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Is energy important to you? We want to know.
In September, we commissioned an Angus Reid poll to test Canadians’ knowledge of their energy system and gauge their opinions about Canada’s energy industry. What we found was that a large majority of respondents believe energy, from crude oil to natural gas to wind and other alternative fuel sources, is vital to the nation. We also found that Canadians know how vital energy is to their daily lives.
A full 73 per cent considered the energy sector personally important, with most saying they would be willing to improve their energy efficiency. Why is this relevant? Most greenhouse gas emissions result from burning fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and petroleum products, which account for about two-thirds of Canada’s energy mix. These are the fuels we use to heat our homes, power our vehicles and generate about a quarter of our electricity.
The complexity of Canada’s energy system can be difficult to capture, and the perspectives and habits of energy consumers inside and outside our borders are increasingly shaping energy policy and regulation. We are all connected to our energy and we all want a voice in its use. The Centre for Energy provides the facts necessary to exercise that voice.
In response to our survey results we sent an ‘everyCanadian’ named Norm on a virtual road trip - 75 stops in 75 days - to learn how energy drives Canada. This week he’ll make five stops in Quebec including educational (and sometimes absurd) visits to the Cabonga Reservoir and the Gaspé Peninsula. The province ranks first in electricity generation, hydroelectricity production and refining capacity, second in wind power and second in nuclear power – that’s a lot of energy to take in without a guide. Join the Tour
Norm started his tour in beautiful British Columbia, ranked second in provincial natural gas reserves and production and hydroelectricity generation and went on to hit energy hot spots throughout the North, across the prairies and into Ontario. Come along for the ride. Read More
We keep finding stories on energy that are changing the country. This time, we explain how oil sands fuel our economy. This series looks at the processes that have transformed oil sands into a commercially viable resource. Read More
Fuel tanks aren’t the only thing being fuelled by Alberta’s oil sands development. For every dollar invested, the oil sands create about $9 of economic activity globally and $6 of activity in Alberta. And for every permanent operations job created by the oil sands industry, there are about three jobs created locally and six more created nationally. Read More
Partner Profile
The Canadian Hydropower Association’s (CHA) mandate is to promote hydropower nationally and internationally as a source of renewable energy. Its members represent more than 95 per cent of the hydropower capacity in Canada, and its ongoing efforts to broaden the use of renewable energy have positioned hydropower within the electric vehicle industry. The CHA knows that hydropower and electric vehicles make a winning partnership. They support the proposed recommendations in the Electric Vehicle Technology Roadmap for Canada, which was unveiled in September during the PHEV ’09 - Plug-in Hybrids and Electric Vehicles Conference in Montreal.
CHA is also hosting their annual conference, November 3-4, in Ottawa. This year’s presentations will include “Hydropower - One of the Keys to Our Energy Future,” “Today’s Renewable Energy Trends with Aboriginal Communities” and “Hydropower Sales and Carbon Trading.” On the second day of the conference, a panel will take on the topic “What are the Opportunities for Low-Emitting Energy in the Current Socioeconomic Context?”
Out and About
The Centre for Energy is committed to maintaining the most current energy information available. Our third edition of Canada’s Oil Sands brochure is now available free to download from the Centre for Energy bookstore and our interactive Canada’s Energy Map now includes the Oil Sands.
White Paper ReleasePierre Alvarez, Michael Cleland and Roger Gibbins have released a White Paper entitled National Energy Security from an Exporter's Perspective: The Canadian Experience. This paper presents a brief review of the development of Canada's energy resources, domestic energy policy, and the trade frameworks governing Canada's energy relationships.
The paper stipulates that if Canada is to reach the potential embodied in the phrase "energy superpower," the country will need to overcome resource, infrastructure, technology and policy challenges of considerable size and complexity.
The paper also argues that if Canadian industry is to attract the hundreds of billions of dollars of investment capital required to finance the growth called for by energy markets, international trade and investment rules will have to be competitive, stable and secure over time and over fluctuating market conditions.
Pierre Alvarez is the Chair of the Canadian Centre for Energy Information; Michael Cleland is the President of the Canadian Gas Association; and Roger Gibbins is President of Canada West Foundation.
Download the WhitePaper (4.2 MB PDF).