8.1 Introduction

The Canadian electricity industry supports the quality of life and economic well-being enjoyed by Canadians.

Introduction to the Industry

We often take electricity for granted, but there are many entities at work and a great deal of planning and cooperation required to make electricity constantly available to Canadians. In this module, we will look at these entities and their important roles in keeping the Integrated North American Grid running smoothly. We will also look at issues related to the electricity market, regulation, and supply and demand.

Reference Documents

To facilitate your understanding of terminology used in this course, please download the glossary of electrical terms.

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Industry Facts

In Canada, the national average of electricity availability is indeed over 99%, and 80% of electricity produced in Canada is emissions free. Canada is a net exporter of electricity, as we export nearly five times more than we import. The electricity industry accounts for a little more than 2% of the national GDP.

The Industry at a Glance

Before we take a closer look at the entities and issues related to the Canadian electricity industry, we will present a brief overview of the impacts of the electricity sector.

At a glance, the Canadian electricity sector employs over 90,000 skilled workers and provides clean electricity, 80 percent of which is emissions free. Furthermore, we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 54 percent since 2000.

Economically, the electricity industry contributes 33.1 billion dollars towards Canada’s GDP. This arguably represents “the first” two percent plus of Canada’s GDP, because without electricity, the country’s economy could not function.

We generate 633 terawatt hours of electricity and export 57.3 terawatt hours. We also provide 2.3 billion dollars of net trade revenue.

Lastly, the Canadian electricity industry provides a high level of reliable service, with electricity being available 99.93 percent of the time on a national average.

Industry Overview

Here is a recap of the industry facts.

• Over 90,000 employees

• Over $33 billion GDP

• Over $2 billion net trade revenue

• 633 TWh generation

• 57.3 TWh net exports

• Over 80% non-emitting

• Greenhouse gas reduction of 54% since 2000