Ottawa to release new clean electricity regulations today

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to announce the country's draft clean electricity regulations today.

The government has set a target of making the electricity grid net-zero by 2035, and the regulations are meant to help guide the way.

It has been seeking feedback on the regulatory framework for nearly a year and will consult on the draft regulations once they are released.

A net-zero grid is a critical part of reaching Canada's overall climate goals, because without clean electricity, things like zero-emission vehicles are still generating greenhouse gases through the power they use.

The country's grid is already nearly 85 per cent clean, but demand is expected to double by 2050 as things like cars, buses and trains become electric.

In the last federal budget, the Liberals set aside more than $45 billion to go toward building a clean grid.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2023.

The Canadian Press