Sustainable Electricity Report 2021: Accelerate 2023

Copyright

Copyright 2022 by Electricity Canada. All rights reserved.

“Sustainable Electricity” and “Sustainable Electricity Leader” are trademarks of Electricity Canada.

Authorship

Electricity Canada, with support from CanSustain Management Solutions Inc., has authored this report for the 2021 reporting years, published in 2023.

Special Contributors

Electricity Canada would like to thank the following contributors to this report:

• Andrew Hall, President & CEO, Yukon Energy, Chair of Board Committee on Sustainability.

• Bryce Conrad, CEO, Hydro Ottawa.

• Cara Clairman, Chair, Electricity Canada, Public Advisory Panel.

• Kate Chisolm, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, Capital Power, Executive member of Board Committee on Sustainability.

• Michelle Branigan, CEO, Electricity HR, Electricity Canada, Public Advisory Panel.

• Scott Mudie, CEO, Oakville Hydro.

About this Report

Acknowledgement

Electricity Canada is proud to present this report, on behalf of member utilities across the country, from Ottawa, Canada. We recognize the traditional unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin People of Ottawa. Electricity Canada respectfully acknowledges the historical impacts many electricity operations have had on

Indigenous Peoples and their territories across the country. Electricity Canada and member companies are striving to meaningfully support reconciliation at all levels of their respective organizations.

A note about report timeline and context

Due to continued recovery from changes in business operations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, including staffing and infrastructure upgrades, as well as sector adaptation to changing economic context over the last year, this report is being published later than anticipated. Since the end of 2021 there have been several significant policy developments specific to the Canadian electricity sector and national greenhouse gas emission goals that Electricity Canada has

Report intent

The intent of the 2021 Sustainable Electricity™ Annual Report is to present and contextualize the consolidated sustainability performance of the Canadian electricity sector. In doing so, Electricity Canada also seeks to share some of the triumphs, advancements, and challenges of members while identifying opportunities for sector wide improvement. The report has been organized using Electricity Canada’s five reporting pillars. These pillars represent the most significant aspects to the Canadian electricity sector’s stakeholders and can be used to understand industry progress. The five pillars have been endorsed by members and are used throughout the sector to organize strategic planning and navigate challenges. The pillars are:

1. Low-carbon future

2. Infrastructure renewal and modernization

3. Building relationships

4. Risk-management systems

5. Business excellence

acknowledged as exceptionally important items to consider as the industry moves forward. The most prominent example of this includes Canada’s target for a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, as announced in March 2022 1 . Electricity Canada has elected to include reference to these items in this report based on their significance, although they did not occur during the 2021 reporting year

The theme for 2021: Accelerate

As the Canadian electricity sector continued to manage impacts and begin recovery planning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 revealed the accelerating need for all to take urgent climate action. The year saw several notable instances of extreme weather events such as increased warming in the north, heatwaves and droughts across the prairies, wildfires and flooding in the west, and hurricanes on the east coast. 2

The electricity industry welcomes the opportunity to be an integral part of Canada’s decarbonization efforts to reach a Net Zero electricity grid by 2035, as announced in March 2022. 3 The sector is collaborating with governments across Canada to create a climate action plan to reach this goal. The plan will incorporate electrification of the economy by increasing capacity, as well as address decarbonization by phasing out non-renewable energy sources. In response to this collective effort, the theme of the 2021 Sustainable Electricity™ Annual Report is Accelerate. This refers to the critical increase in the speed of progress towards needed climate solutions. The major aspects where acceleration is taking place in the industry are performance, innovation, collaboration, and reconciliation.

Through the Sustainable Electricity™ Program, the Canadian electricity sector is rapidly enhancing its understanding of industry performance by tracking progress towards climate targets. In addition, many companies are renewing and updating infrastructure and investing in innovative sustainable technologies. Electricity Canada is also working to accelerate reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The Canadian adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDRIP) and the discoveries of mass unmarked graves at former residential schools in 2021, have further highlighted the ongoing need for genuine reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples across the country.

Electricity Canada intends to reflect on and celebrate the successes of 2021 through this report, while also identifying potential areas for improvement. Moving forward, Electricity Canada’s goals include working towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2035, continuing to renew and enlarge the electricity grid, and working with provincial and territorial governments to continue to modernize energy regulatory frameworks.

About the Sustainable ElectricityTM Program

The Sustainable Electricity™ Program was originally established in 1997 as the ‘Environmental Commitment and Responsibility Program’. Electricity Canada collaborated with sector sustainability leaders to create an industry-led sustainability standard for member companies to strive for. The program’s primary goals are to: integrate sustainability, foster continuous improvement, and advance public acceptance and support for utility operations through meaningful engagement, collaboration, transparency, and accountability.

As part of the evolution of this program, the Sustainable Electricity Leader™ designation was created to provide regulators with confidence by allowing companies to demonstrate their progress and commitment towards sustainability. The designation requires members to report on key performance indicators on the environmental, social, economic, and governance aspects of their business. Member organizations must also demonstrate compliance to Electricity Canada’s Sustainable Development Corporate Responsibility Policy and implement an environmental management system consistent with ISO 14001.

Electricity Canada believes that increased uptake of this designation will allow the organization to better fulfil its mandate to assist the sector to thrive. The objective is to see all energy providers across the country achieve the Sustainable Electricity Leader™ designation.

Joint executive message

During much of 2021 Canada was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines were just being rolled out, and Canadians were determining what came next in terms of recovery. The electricity sector was also facing challenges in the midst of the uncertainty that came with this. There was no “business as usual”. The pandemic challenged our sector’s assumptions on how we work, and what was needed in terms of the delivery of electricity. That’s a far cry from the post-COVIDrecovery world of 2023 when we are writing this.

And yet, as this report demonstrates, Canada’s electricity providers also achieved a great deal when it came to sustainability in 2021.

• 85% of electricity generated by reporting members used non-fossil energy sources.

• 74% of members had a carbon emission target in place.

• $15.4 billion was invested on infrastructure renewal and modernization efforts, and a total of $5.3 billion was spent on new and refurbished generation infrastructure.

• 97% of members now have a stakeholder policy, or a documented process for identifying concerns to assist engagement with Indigenous peoples.

These are merely highlights of this report, which documents the concerted effort made within the electricity sector to integrate sustainability in all our activities. We are far from being done – continuous improvement is also a hallmark of our sustainability work – but during 2021 we made some important efforts.

As we write this in the present moment two years later, we are now well into recovery from the pandemic. The federal government has also made substantive commitments supporting electrification in the long term in order to meet our climate commitments. All this is important as we continue our sustainability work from 2021… into the future.

Sincerely,

Francis Bradley & Rob Lister

Summary of 2021 performance

The year 2021 revealed the need for urgent climate action as the sector continued to manage and begin recovery planning from the COVID-19 pandemic. Performance highlights have been provided to display annual changes in total electricity generation and metrics within Electricity Canada’s five reporting pillars: low-carbon future, relationship building, risk-management systems, infrastructure renewal & modernization, and business excellence.

A note on significant variances

Variances that readers may deem significant may be as a result of activity at a specific reporting utility or as a result of incremental changes by many or all utilities.

Performance highlights

Low-carbon future

Building relationships

Risk-management systems

“The need for utilities to accelerate their resource planning to accommodate regional and national decarbonization efforts is a critical contribution to slowing the rate of climate change. This pressing need is yet another driver for financial sustainability

across the sector.”

Andrew Hall, CEO - Yukon Energy

The five pillars One: Low-carbon future

In 2021, the government of Canada recently released guidelines calling for Canada’s electricity grid to become carbon neutral by 2035, in order to help the country reach net zero emissions by 2050. To reach this target, a significant decrease in carbon emissions must take place. Electricity Canada members are continually striving towards a low-carbon future by investing in innovative solutions such as emission-abatement technologies and renewable fuel sources. Member organizations must strategically prepare in advance to be able to implement these changes.

In 2021, the total net generation of electricity by reporting members was 463,296 GWh. Of this total, 85% was generated using non-fossil energy sources such as hydroelectric, wind, nuclear, biomass, tidal, biofuel, and solar. As shown in Figure 1, hydroelectric power makes up the greatest proportion of electricity generated in Canada at 70% of total generation.

Figure 1: Net generation of electricity by fuel type, for 2019-2021.

Net-generation by fuel type (GWh)

The five pillars

One: Low-carbon future

Climate change management and mitigation

Canada’s electricity sector is working to mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing carbon dioxide and other priority greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and operations. Electricity Canada members are making new investments in low and non-emitting fuel sources and purchasing more renewable energy as they strive to further reduce their impact.

Canada’s climate action highlights in 2021 included an updated federal climate goal 4 , federal election campaigns from all parties elevating the visibility of climate change and related commitments 5 , and the signing of an international climate agreement at COP26 in Glasgow 6. To continue on the path of climate change mitigation, Canadians anticipate the transition to a low-carbon electricity grid. The total carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2e) emissions from Electricity Canada members was 59.9 t in 2021. This is an increase from 51.8 t in 2020 and 54.0 t in 2019. The increase can be linked to companies' recovery from the slowdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An increasing number of member companies are setting ambitious targets to further reduce their carbon emissions. “Hydro Ottawa is the first municipally owned utility in Canada to commit to net zero by 2030. This will positively impact every decision we make going forward.” – Bryce Conrad, CEO, Hydro Ottawa.

In 2021, 74% of members had a carbon emissions target. Electricity Canada is committed to supporting members on the journey to reach their sustainability goals. As part of this commitment, Electricity Canada organizes and facilitates sessions for members across the country to come together to discuss pertinent issues in the industry. The Sustainable Electricity™ Program also supports members through reporting requirements and information sharing.

The five pillars

One: Low-carbon future

Internal energy efficiency and customer conservation programs

To support a low-carbon future, Electricity Canada members are implementing energy efficiency and conservation programs with the intent to educate customers on how to lower energy use in homes and workplaces. These programs delivered increased energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions in 2021, while also helping customers to manage costs.

Electrification of transportation, buildings, and processes

System wide electrification is widely recognized as a key decarbonization strategy. Working to electrify transportation, buildings, and industrial processes will be necessary for Canada to reach its emissions targets. One of the most prominent electrification opportunities is adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles. In 2021, 80%

of member companies reported use of innovative technology for electrification projects. Collaboration within the Canadian electricity industry will assist the country to meet its 2035 goal to require 100% of car and passenger truck sales be zero-emission.

The five pillars

Member testimonies/success stories on new initiatives for a low-carbon future

Capital Power Corporation

Climate change mitigation – reducing emissions within operations

In 2021, Capital Power Corporation (Capital Power) continued its efforts to transform all three units at its flagship Genesee Generating Station from coal-fired power generation to natural gas, advancing the repowering of two of the units to new natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) technology and the conversion of the other unit to burn gas in the boiler.

When complete, the Genesee repowering and conversion projects will immediately reduce emissions at Genesee by 3.4 Mt, while also increasing the plants generating capacity – providing more than 40% reduction in emissions from the Genesee site despite a more than 40% increase in generation capacity. The project will allow Capital Power to meet their 2030 Genesee reduction target in 2024 – six years early.

Capital Power will also be installing a 210MW battery energy storage system which will enable Genesee 1 and 2 to operate up to their increased capacity while also addressing the Alberta Interconnected Electric Systems most severe single contingency (MSSC) limit.

In addition to the repower and battery projects, Capital Power also hopes to capture the point-source CO 2 emissions from Genesee 1 and 2 and sequester them to further reduce absolute emissions at Genesee by up to another 3 Mt per year. This will put Genesee 1 and 2 amongst the cleanest baseload thermal generation facilities in the world.

Churchill Falls Labrador Corporation

Plugging into the benefit across hydro's fleet

Electric vehicle (EV) use is increasing across Churchill Falls Labrador Corporation (CFLco) operations, including at Churchill Falls where EVs are used to access one of the largest underground hydroelectric plants in North America. Using zero-emissions, fully electric vehicles 1000 feet underground helps protect air quality and, most importantly, the health and safety of the workers who keep the system operating year-round.

Approximately 80 per cent of electricity in Newfoundland is generated from clean, renewable energy sources, making the province a great place to drive electric. As the province’s Crown utility, CFLco is proud to lead efforts to increase the use of EVs, including within their own operations.

With significant fuel savings and less maintenance required, EVs decrease operating expenses typically associated with fleet vehicles, while maintaining the same level of service for workers. Adding electric vehicles to the fleet has the added benefit of reducing transportation related GHG emissions while supporting and promoting electrification in the province.

In 2021, there were 4 EVs in use at Churchill Falls, with tenders for additional vehicles, including pickup trucks and a bus in 2022. As more traditional, gas-powered vehicles require replacement in the future, CFLco will continue to assess opportunities to add EVs and related infrastructure to contribute to a greener future for Newfoundland and Labrador.

The five pillars

Heartland Generation

Completion of off-coal transitions at Battle River and Sheerness generating stations

On November 9, 2021, Heartland Generation announced that it completed the transition off coal at the Battle River and Sheerness Generating Stations, making Heartland Generation the first largescale generator in Alberta to fully phase out coal-fired generation in favour of cleaner burning natural gas. Heartland Generation’s transition off-coal is complete nearly a decade ahead of regulatory deadlines and expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensities at Battle River and Sheerness by 45% to 50%, depending on generation factor. In addition, emissions of nitrous oxides will be reduced by a similar amount while emissions of sulphur dioxide, particulate matter, and mercury will be eliminated, resulting in additional air quality improvements within Alberta. Advancing the off-coal conversions at Battle River and Sheerness has been a priority for Heartland Generation since acquiring its asset portfolio in October 2019. Heartland Generation has invested approximately $85 million completing the transition from coal to natural gas over the past two years and plans on spending up to an additional $150 million on coal-supply termination and mine remediation, as well as long-term commitments for firm natural gas transportation to support continued safe and reliable power generation at Battle River and Sheerness. Over the past two years, Heartland Generation has also focused on prioritizing dispatch of electricity toward portfolio assets with the lowest GHG intensities. These continued efforts, in addition to the Battle River and Sheerness coal-to-gas conversions, are anticipated to result in GHG emissions reductions of approximately 4.5 million gross tonnes (MGT), or 35%, annually, across the Heartland Generation portfolio relative to the historic five-year average.

Oakville Hydro

Reducing carbon emissions through paperless billing

Oakville Hydro has continued to promote paperless billing to its customer base to reduce costs, waste and the carbon emissions associated with paper bills. Pitney Bowes has performed extensive research into the carbon emissions related to the production of paper, finished product processing, and sorting and delivery of letter mail. According to “The Environmental Impact of Mail: A Baseline, June 2008,” it was found that the distribution of letter mail by postal agencies generates, on average, approximately 20 grams of CO2 per letter delivered. In addition, a survey of more than a dozen studies shows that the indicative range of CO2 emissions associated with the upstream mail piece creation process is about 0.9 – 1.3 grams of CO2 per gram of paper. This means that for every customer that switches to paperless billing, 251 grams of CO 2 are eliminated.

In 2021, Oakville Hydro was able to switch an additional 1933 customers to paperless billing, in addition to the 25,700 customers currently registered. Through Oakville Hydro’s paperless billing campaign, a total of 27,633 customers no longer receive paper bills, reducing CO 2 emissions by a further 485 kg annually. Additionally, paperless billing has reduced the amount of waste generated by a further 197 kg per year (based on the weight of a typical bill of 8.5 grams, sent to a customer on a monthly basis), further reducing the impact of operations on the environment.

The five pillars

One: Low-carbon future

TransAlta Corporation

Completing the transition away from coal generation in Canada.

In 2021, TransAlta Corporation (TransAlta) completed its transition off coal in Canada. In 2018, they established the target to provide “No further coal generation by the end of 2025 with 100 per cent of owned net generation capacity to be from renewables and gas”. Thus far, TransAlta has retired or converted 90 per cent of their existing coal fleet and, by 2025, will retire the single remaining unit, located in the United States, accounting for 10 per cent of baseline coal capacity. Since 2018, they have retired 4,064 MW of coal-fired generation capacity while converting 1,659 MW to natural gas. The transformation of TransAlta’s Canadian fleet is primarily responsible for the company achieving a 61 per cent absolute GHG emissions reduction since 2015.

"As compared with 2019 and 2020, there is accelerated urgency towards climate action, especially involving innovation and infrastructure solutions.”

Kate Chisholm, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer Capital Power

The five pillars

Two: Infrastructure renewal & modernization

To address aging assets and increase capacity to meet the demands of the future, Canadian utilities are working to renew and modernize generation, transmission, and distribution systems. In 2021, the total investment infrastructure renewal and modernization efforts was $15.36 billion. This level of investments to these critical systems will ensure that all Canadians have continued access to safe, reliable, and cost-effective electricity.

Investments in new and refurbished infrastructure Across the country, there has been an increase in infrastructure investments in the past several years.

The total capital expenditures on new and refurbished generation infrastructure in 2021 was $6.4 billion. The total capital expenditures on new and refurbished transmission and distribution infrastructure, were $4.2 billion and $4.6 billion respectively, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Investments on new and refurbished infrastructure, for 2019-2021.

Investments on new and refurbished infrastructure

System reliability and resiliency against severe weather impacts

As we continue to see increased frequency of climate related severe weather events, utilities are encouraged to make investments to maintain system reliability. Enhanced prevention and response to outages is a top priority for utilities across Canada. In 2021, the system average interruption duration was 5.57 hours and system average interruption frequency was 2.42 times per year, excluding significant weather events.

Member testimonies/success stories on infrastructure renewal and modernization initiatives

ENMAX Corporation

Enabling customers to export renewable power to the grid

Dedicated to meeting customers’ changing needs, ENMAX Corporation (ENMAX) is working to solve a problem impacting electricity grids across North America - enabling customers on secondary networks to export excess electricity back to the grid. A secondary network is a complex power grid with a web of multiple parallel sources of power to each customer. These specialized networks are used to supply electricity to high-density communities requiring high reliability.

Within Calgary, ENMAX has four secondary networks (CF Chinook Centre, North Hill Centre, Westbrook Mall, and the downtown core). Customers connected to a secondary network rarely experience interruptions in power, but the existing design of these systems does not allow customers who own electricity generation to export excess power back to the grid. Although this is done for safety and reliability reasons, it creates a technical barrier to adopting distributed generation in these areas.

ENMAX is the first utility in Canada to develop and demonstrate a solution to this complex technical challenge through a multi-year project funded in part by Natural Resources Canada and Alberta Innovates. In collaboration with Cadillac Fairview (CF), the project will test the connection of a solar installation at CF Chinook Centre, the largest shopping complex in Calgary, onto ENMAX’s specialized secondary network to enable two-way power flow of renewable forms of energy.

In April 2021, the project took an important step forward when they began construction of the 800 kW DC onsite solar installation on the CF Chinook Centre rooftop. Construction of the systems that allow for electricity export was completed in the first quarter of 2022, after which they began the final phase of testing and monitoring of the two-way power flow. The technology, if proven successful, will help remove technical and financial barriers to distributed generation, giving residential and commercial customers in urban settings more choice in how they generate and use electricity, while building the resiliency of the grid.

Photo: ENMAX Solar installation on the CF Chinook Centre Rooftop

FortisAlberta

Waterton Lakes National Park energy storage projectenergized January 2022

Waterton Lakes National Park’s commitment to habitat preservation has meant that electricity distribution to the area has long been delivered by one single 70 kilometre line. While less invasive, it is also less reliable than many other FortisAlberta service areas. This project will provide more reliability by using a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy, and renewable generation integrated with FortisAlberta’s advanced control systems. Disruptions are fully monitored by FortisAlberta’s Control Centre (FCC). Should an outage occur, FCC’s advanced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology can ensure Waterton’s day-to-day goes uninterrupted. The completion of the project also means the continued preservation of the area’s biodiversity as it eliminates the need for forestry disruptions. As a proud Alberta-based company, FortisAlberta is grateful that the Park, the Waterton townsite, and other partners are excited to take these steps toward a lower carbon footprint.

Tackling windstorms with resilience and dedication

In April 2021, British Columbia was impacted by a powerful windstorm that shut down power for more than 7,500 customers in the Kootenays, particularly in Kaslo, Crawford Bay, Creston, South Slocan and Salmo. The damage was extensive and affected much of FortisBC Inc.’s (FortisBC) infrastructure in the area, with fallen trees on the power lines. The Area Command Centre (ACC) was activated to assess the damage and resources needed to get the power back up and running to customers. Thanks to the great planning, coordination and regular updates, the crews were provided with the conductors, poles, and other materials they needed to clear debris and replace damaged poles. From local and neighbouring crews to employees from the warehouse, control centre, fleet services, contact centre, project management office and corporate communications, FortisBC teams demonstrated resiliency and strength to keep the energy flowing to customers.

Photo: FortisAlberta

A solar panel in Waterton Lakes National Park

FortisBC Inc.

Photo: FortisBC

A fallen tree on a house after a windstorm in April 2021

The five pillars

Two: Infrastructure renewal and modernization

The five pillars

Two: Infrastructure renewal and modernization

Northwest Territories Power Corporation

New camp infrastructure at Taltson Hydro

With the successful completion of the winter road in 2019, Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) was able to deliver new camp infrastructure to Taltson Hydro. This new camp will replace the existing one and be used to accommodate workers during the upcoming hydro refurbishment. Following the refurbishment, the new camp will remain in place for field workers as well as operations. The winter road was also successful in 2020 which brought in more materials needed for the overhaul and will be completed again in 2022.

TC Energy

Canyon Creek pumped storage facility

In 2020, TC Energy closed an equity investment in Turning Point Generation (TPG), a subsidiary of WindRiver Power Corporation. In September 2021 TC Energy purchased Turning Point Generation, and the Canyon Creek Pumped Storage Project in full. Once in service, the Canyon Creek pumped hydro energy storage facility near Hinton, Alberta will have initial generating capacity of 75 MW, expandable through future development to 400 MW, and will utilize existing site infrastructure from a decommissioned coal mine. The facility will provide up to 37 hours of on-demand, flexible, clean energy, and ancillary services to the Alberta electricity grid. The project has received the approval of the Alberta Utilities Commission and the required approval of the Alberta Government for hydro projects under the Hydro Development Act.

SaskPower

Renewable generation advancements

SaskPower added nearly 400 MW of renewable generation capacity in 2021-22. This is an important step in reaching the company’s goal of 50% renewable generation by 2030 alongside significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2030. The 200 MW Golden South Wind Energy Facility has a total of 50 turbines and can supply up to 100,000 homes with emission-free power, while the 175 MW Blue Hill Wind Energy Facility has 35 turbines and can produce enough power for up to 87,000 homes. Another 10 MW of capacity is available at the Riverhurst Wind Energy Facility through three wind turbines. Meanwhile, SaskPower registered a landmark achievement in the fall of 2021 when the province’s first utility-scale solar project — the 10 MW Highfield Solar Energy Facility — came into service.

SaskPower

Photo:

Wind turbines near Riverhurst Wind Energy Facility.

“In 2021, Oakville Hydro took steps to strengthen Indigenous Relations and build partnerships to create a path to contribute to truth and reconciliation. We have hired a Director of Indigenous Affairs to carry out these objectives and initiatives.”

Scott Mudie, CEO - Oakville Hydro

The five pillars

Three: Building relationships

The Canadian electricity sector depends on strong, trusted, and productive relationships between key stakeholders. The strength of relationships between customers, First Nations, local communities, employees, regulators, and suppliers will be increasingly important as members work to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Electricity Canada members understand the unique and critical importance of building relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

Early engagement and consultation with local communities, stakeholders, and Indigenous Peoples

Electricity Canada members are working to advance relationships in the name of reconciliation. An example of an effort to strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples was shared by Oakville Hydro.

For the past two reporting periods, members were required to report to the Indigenous Relations Pilot Project issued by Electricity Canada. The indicators selected for the pilot are based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). The objective of the pilot is to assess the industry’s progress on and processes for engaging Indigenous Peoples, and to develop a path forward for continuous improvement. Reported results are analyzed by Electricity Canada to ensure the metrics offer useful perspective of sector activity on this important topic. Upon completion of the pilot, Electricity Canada, in conjunction with members, will determine which metrics are the best to expand across the sector and include in annual data collection and reporting.

The five pillars

Three: Building relationships

Electricity Canada’s principles for Engagement of Indigenous peoples are:

• Respecting Indigenous culture, traditional values, and rights;

• Nurturing constructive relationships;

• Enhancing communications;

• Fostering Indigenous capacity building; and,

• Promoting economic prosperity.

In 2021, 97% of Electricity Canada members had either a formal stakeholder engagement policy or documented process for identifying their stakeholder’s concerns. The financial value of formal relationships with Indigenous communities was $908 million in 2021, as seen in Figure 4. The number of members with formal identified Indigenous groups within their service area remained at 87% for the past two years, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 4: Value of formal relationships with Indigenous communities, for 2019-2021.

Value of formal relationships with Indigenous communities

Enhancement of the customer experience

As Electricity Canada members continue to renew and modernize the electricity grid, they are also continuously working to improve the customer experience. Customer satisfaction surveys are used by 77% of Electricity Canada members to gauge customer habits, expectations, and level of satisfaction with provided energy service. Oakville Hydro shared what they learned about customer priorities in 2021:

“When polled, our customer base indicated their top priorities for energy service are cost and reliability.”

- Scott Mudie, CEO, Oakville Hydro

Support for low-income customers

Electricity Canada advocates for access to safe and reliable electricity for all Canadians. Access to electricity allows people to meet their basic needs for lighting, heating, and cooling their living area and protecting health and safety by preventing exposure to extreme temperatures. Across the country, those with low-income households are struggling to meet increasing energy costs. Electricity Canada members are encouraged to implement programs to support these customers. This may include actions like providing subsidies on energy efficient appliances and devices or financial assistance to meet energy costs. As such, 53% of member companies have implemented programs to help support low-income customers.

Figure 5: Percentage of members that have formally identified local Indigenous groups within service area.

The five pillars Three: Building relationships

Members with formally identi ed local Indigenous groups within service area

Member testimonies/success stories on new initiatives and activities for building relationships

Hydro - Québec

Enchanced relationships with Indigenous partners

In 2021, Hydro-Québec’s relations with First Nations and Inuit entered a new era with the signing of mutually satisfactory agreements grounded in respect, authenticity, and a willingness to listen.

At last November’s Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous People and Québec, Hydro-Québec committed to making room for, valuing, and leveraging Indigenous potential in every sphere of their activities, as a partner, an employer, a supplier and a purchaser of goods and services.

In February, Québec Premier François Legault and Hydro - Québec CEO Sophie Brochu announced a historic partnership with Innu communities in the Côte-Nord region. The Apuiat project involves the construction of a 50-turbine wind farm with 200 MW of installed capacity in the city of Port-Cartier, as well as an electricity purchase agreement with Hydro - Québec Production and Parc éolien Apuiat S.E.C., a partnership between the Innu communities and Boralex.

Manitoba Hydro

Harvested sage available for local women’s centres and community organizations

The Manitoba drought of 2021 resulted in a shortage of locally grown sage for smudging and for medicinal use. In 2018, a traditional Indigenous medicinal garden (Kihtihga-nahn) was planted atop the third-floor roof at 360 Portage Ave by Manitoba Hydro’s Indigenous Sharing Circle; the garden has been carefully tended to ever since. This caretaking resulted in an abundant and healthy crop of sage in 2021. As a result, Manitoba Hydro was able to donate sage to local community organizations in need.

Photo: Manitoba Hydro

A bundle of sage grown at the Manitoba Hydro traditional Indigenous medicinal garden.

Electricity Canada

The five pillars

Three: Building relationships

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

Communicating with customers

Communicating with customers has never been more important. While customers can reach Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro 24 hours a day, seven days a week through their telephone line, many customers are choosing to connect in other ways as well. Through the myNLHydro self-service app, customers are able to subscribe to receive text or email notifications for planned and unplanned power outages. Customers can choose the type of notification they prefer to receive so they are up to date with notifications for their area. In 2021, in an effort to continue communicating important information to customers, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro launched a new Customer Newsletter. Customers can find it in their mailbox (or inbox) four times a year. The Electricity Feedback Panel, launched in 2018, continues to grow with nearly 1,000 Newfoundland and Labrador residents now signed up to provide their opinion on various topics through short digital surveys. In 2021, respondents were asked their opinions on electric vehicles, how they heat their homes, their electricity safety habits and understanding, and more.

Yukon Energy Corporation

Stakeholder engagement

As a public utility, Yukon Energy Corporation (Yukon Energy) is committed to broadly engaging with stakeholders during the planning of new projects and initiatives, and to incorporate to the extent possible, the preferences of stakeholders in those plans. This engagement is essential to securing social license for corporate initiatives, while also balancing the obligations of Yukon Energy to its shareholder and its primary regulators (the Yukon Utilities Board and the Yukon Water Board). In addition, Yukon Energy employees are critical to the company’s success. Maintaining a safe, strong, and engaged workforce capable of executing ambitious plans remains a key strategic priority.

Nova Scotia Power Inc.

Climate Adaptation Leadership Program

Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NS Power) is participating in the Climate Adaptation Leadership Program (CALP) for the Electricity and Water Resource sectors in Nova Scotia. CALP is designed, facilitated, and funded by the Climate Change Unit (CCU) at Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change and through Natural Resources Canada’s “Building Regional Adaption Capacity and Expertise” (BRACE) program. Through CALP, NS Power has been collaborating with government departments, Indigenous organizations, NGOs, and other stakeholders to share knowledge and build capacity as it relates to climate adaptation for the electricity and water resource sectors in NS. In 2021 the CALP teams issued surveys to representatives across the industries to gain insights on climate impacts related to the electricity and water resource sectors and is now using that information to collaboratively develop climate adaptation strategies.

Saskatoon Light & Power

Extending support to underrepresented students in trade

Saskatoon Light & Power offers two scholarships annually: A $3,000 L.A. Thornton Scholarship and a $2,000 Saskatoon Light & Power Award. The L.A Thornton Scholarship is offered to a fourth-year electrical engineering student at the University of Saskatchewan. In 2021, new Terms of Reference were created to revise the eligibility criteria to full time engineering student enrolled in their second, third, or fourth year of electrical engineering program; applicants must be women or self-declared Indigenous students. The Saskatoon Light & Power Award is offered to a full-time, first year student in the electrical engineering technology program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Selection process for this scholarship is based upon financial need and academic accomplishments.

“The next generation of employees are very value driven. They want to work for organizations that are recognized as leaders in social responsibility, ethics, and diversity. This is a critical component that the Canadian electricity sector needs to be able to compete for the best talent.”

Michelle Branigan, CEO Electricity HR, Electricity Canada, Public Advisory Panel

The five pillars

Four: Risk-management systems

Energy providers must have effective systems to manage operational, regulatory, and environmental risks. Member companies must consider methods to ensure the health and safety of employees, contractors, and the public. While the sector has always had means of identifying, assessing managing risk, existing riskmanagement systems must be enhanced to consider climate change and extreme weather risks. Adherence to a risk-management system that prioritizes climate risk is a key requirement companies must demonstrate to become a Sustainable Electricity™ Leader.

Environmental stewardship

Electricity Canada members operate their facilities with the goal of minimizing risks to the environment. One example of such a risk is that of release of priority emissions. Electricity Canada has defined Nitrogen

oxide (NOX), sulphur dioxide (SO 2), and mercury (Hg) as three priority emissions to monitor. These gases were chosen as they are often generated during combustion, have multiple sources, and can have detrimental environmental and health impacts in sufficient concentrations. Members are working to reduce their releases of these emissions. As shown in Figure 6, a total of 168,901 tonnes of SO 2 , 95,624 tonnes of NOX were released in 2021. The amount of mercury released was 482 kilograms. A primary source of these emissions within the sector is associated with conventional coal facilities, which are regulated to be phased out by 20308

Members are required to report the amount and volume of priority spills in the reporting year. Electricity Canada has defined priority spills as any petroleum spill over 500 litres, any spill containing over 1 gram of PCBs, or any spill that enters a body of water. The number of priority spills decreased from 273 in 2020 to 226 in 2021.

Figure 6: Priority emissions released, for 2019-2021.

Total annual priority emissions

The five pillars

Four: Risk-management systems

Employee, contractor, and public health and

safety

Safety in the electricity industry is critically important as electricity can be extremely dangerous if mishandled. Electricity Canada members are dedicated to providing a safe and healthy workplace in accordance with safety management systems and internal standards for their employees and contractors. By reducing accident and injury risks, utilities are able to be more productive as workers feel safer in the workplace and do not have to take time off due to injury. Electricity Canada members reported a decreased injury/illness frequency rate in 2021, though the lost time due to injury/illness increased.

Security management systems and standards

Security is important to the Canadian electricity industry to protect against potential threats to critical infrastructure, protect customer data, and maintain public trust. Security management systems and standards protect against physical and cyber threats potentially leading to disruption of electricity access. Electricity Canada members are investigating innovative methods to manage cybersecurity risks affecting companies in the sector. As these companies are collecting large amounts of customer data, security management systems help to protect sensitive personal and financial information from theft or unauthorized access. These actions help to maintain public trust by ensuring that electricity access is secure and reliable.

The five pillars

Four: Risk-management systems

Member testimonies/success stories on new and successful implementation and outcomes of risk-management systems

ATCO Electric Utility Safety Partners

Electricity companies play an important role in keeping the public safe from overhead powerlines and underground natural gas pipelines, and this responsibility is taken very seriously. ATCO Electric (ATCO) engages and educates stakeholders, as well as marks buried lines that pose an inherent danger to those who work near them. ATCO is always looking for new ways to engage the public so they understand they must be vigilant when working around energy infrastructure.

A significant change in 2021 was the merger of three agencies that focused on different aspects of public safety around utilities. Alberta One-Call, Alberta Common Ground Alliance and the Joint Utility Safety Team have come together to become Utility Safety Partners, or USP. Bringing together the resources of three similar programs into one powerhouse will allow for greater collaboration and impact.

BC Hydro Assessing wildfire risk

BC Hydro is using a wildfire risk Geographic Information System (GIS) model that can help it adapt to climate change - which is causing more frequent and more severe extreme weather events, including wildfires. Wildfire mitigation for a utility means reducing the likelihood of ignitions and making the system more resilient to wildfires. The system-focused GIS model demonstrates the likelihood and consequence of wildfires occurring around BC Hydro’s assets. The model helps determine what parts of the system need to be prioritized and made more resilient in order to withstand the increased risks associated with wildfires and help prioritize efforts to reduce ignitions. It’s one variable that BC Hydro can use to help plan cutout replacements and hazard tree removals on the distribution system and a tool to help prioritize insulator replacements on the transmission system. There are many uses for this model, and these are just a couple of examples of how the model has been used.

Photo: BC Hydro Transmission and distribution assets in wildfire area near Cache Creek

The five pillars

Four: Risk-management systems

Hydro One Safety Improvement Plant

As part of Hydro One’s strategy to become the safest and most efficient utility, the employee-led Safety Improvement Team developed 12 key recommendations in 2020, which have been incorporated into their multi-year Safety Improvement Plan. The implementation of the plan will lead them to their goal of a workplace free of life-altering injuries and fatalities along with an improved safety culture at Hydro One.

Evolugen/Brookfield BRP Canada Corporation

Tla’amin Theodosia off channel habitat restoration

In 2020, Tla’amin Nation approached Evolugen and Department of Fisheries and Oceans with a proposed project to restore fish habitat in the Theodosia River. The goal was to reestablish fish access to off-channel fish habitat for spawning grounds for Chum salmon, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon and rearing habitat for juvenile Coho salmon, juvenile Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.

The Theodosia Spawning Channel was developed by Tla’amin to improve and restore salmon runs in the Theodosia River. It is controlled by a gated culvert that brings water from the main channel of the Theodosia into a constructed side channel. This restoration project is critical for maintaining the habitat and ecology of the Theodosia River.

Starting in 2021, and for the next five years, twice a year Evolugen will provide support for the Tla’amin Hatchery Crew to travel to the Theodosia to remove any obstructions restricting fish access to the Theodosia River Spawning Channel. During their first trip, Tla’amin successfully removed two obstructions from the spawning channel and reported that salmon were counted in the channel. Evolugen recognizes the cultural significance of the project and is proud to support the restoration of the Tla’amin Hatchery on the Theodosia River.

Their approach to health and safety is guided by a Health, Safety, and Environmental Management System (HSEMS),1 which is aligned with the ISO 45001 standard. The system applies to all Hydro One activities, products, and services, as well as to contractors.

Hydro One’s HSEMS approach is aligned with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference standards (14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems and 45001:2018

Occupational Health and Safety). Their HSEMS is supported by corporate policies, operational procedures, guidance documents and assurance controls

Newfoundland Power Environmental Protection Plan for the Rattling Brook Hydroelectric Development

Newfoundland Power completed modifications and upgrades to the Rattling Brook hydroelectric development located in Norris Arm, central Newfoundland. The project received an Environmental Assessment release due to being located within 200 m of Rattling Brook, a scheduled salmon river under the Fisheries Act. An Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) was utilized to ensure that potential environmental effects from construction activities were effectively mitigated. These negative effects included impacts to air quality and climate, groundwater and surface water resources, soil, biota and their habitats, human health and communities, and natural and historic resources.

Photo: Evolugen/Brookfield BRP Canada Corporation

Monitoring the Tla’amin Theodosia off channel for salmon and trout species.

The five pillars

Four: Risk-management systems

NB Power Corporation

Conservation voltage reduction research and demonstration pilot project

NB Power Corporation (NB Power) has partnered with Siemens, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the National Research Council (NRC) on a Grid Modernization Research and Demonstration Pilot Project to study how to conserve energy in New Brunswick by means of voltage reduction. The one-year data collection phase of the project ended on November 30, 2020.

Approximately 5,000 NB Power homes and businesses in specific areas of the province were part of this research and demonstration pilot project. This project will allow NB Power to determine and measure the potential to reduce voltage to obtain energy savings, peak reduction in the future, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, all which will help make New Brunswick greener.

Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) is a proven technology used by utilities to better manage distribution system voltages in order to improve grid efficiency, all without compromising power quality.

Along with helping New Brunswick use less energy annually, CVR will assist to reduce peak demand, which will result in financial benefits and a positive impact on the environment by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the province – all of which support NB Power customers.

Maritime Electric Company

Climate change risk assessment

In 2021, Maritime Electric Company (Maritime Electric) received funding (50%) from the Government of Prince Edward Island to complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment project of the organization’s transmission and distribution infrastructure. The purpose of the assessment is to help identify and prioritize climate change adaptation measures and to improve construction design standards for the organization’s infrastructure. Climate modelling and risk analyses will be included in the assessment for a period of 2070 (approximately 50 years). The company hired an engineering consultant to help complete the assessment using the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) protocol, which was developed by Engineers Canada. Adaptation options will be reviewed and presented for short- and long-term system planning to address climate change impacts into the future.

“Recruitment is becoming more challenging for organizations that do not have a clear path forward for sustainability. New trades and university graduates are much more progressive, thoughtful, and ambitious. They want to work for organizations that share their values, not simply where they can draw a

Byrce Conrad, CEO - Hydro Ottawa

paycheck.”

The five pillars

Five: Business excellence

Electricity Canada members strive for excellence in every part of their respective businesses. This is demonstrated by investments in innovation, technology advancement and progress in environmental performance. Canada’s utilities are continuously working to modernize and keep pace with everchanging energy needs and expectations. Through engagement with regulators, partners, and other stakeholders, members are working to optimize their processes and facilities to increase cost efficiency and sustainability. Business excellence is demonstrated by members actively investing in their communities. Further indicators such as community investment partnerships, system innovation and advancements, and diversity, equity, and inclusion are discussed below.

Investments in innovation and technology advancement

Innovation is defined as the introduction of something new that has the potential to lead to change. Electricity Canada categorizes innovation in two ways; creation of electrical power and transmission of electrical power.9 Innovative ideas, methods, and technologies to advance electrification are intended to reduce the amount of associated carbon with generation activities. Delivery of electricity requires innovation such as microgrids, offshore developments, and provincial interties to continue to provide reliable, safe, and affordable electricity.

Electricity Canada’s member companies are investing in innovative research and development projects that result in technology advancements, accelerating the progress of the sector. The past several years have seen an upward trend in the number of companies investing in innovative technologies. As shown by Figure 7, Electricity Canada member companies have further built on innovative foundations such as asset optimization, electrification, distributed electricity, energy storage, smart grid development, home and facility automation, and use of robotics and drones. In 2021, the proportion of members that deployed energy storage and those that deployed electrification were 74% and 80%, respectively.

Engagement of regulators, supply chain partners, and other stakeholders

The federal government oversees implementation of regulations and standards related to safety, reliability, and environmental protection for the Canadian electricity industry. Electricity Canada represents the Canadian electricity sector in engaging with these regulators on electricity related initiatives. For example, Electricity Canada supports implementation of a taxation framework and regulations to enable the energy transition, which will contribute to national and regional climate change efforts. Engagement with supply chain partners is important to ensure availability and quality of equipment and services as well as managing supply chain risks, especially in the years post COVID-19 pandemic. Engagement with other stakeholders such as customers and communities is key for the electricity industry to understand and address concerns, build and maintain public trust, and manage social and environmental risks.

Employee recruitment, training, and retention

Electricity Canada strongly encourages prioritization of diversity, equity, and inclusion within its member companies. When these values are embedded in the organization with a diversity policy, it promotes productivity, as employees feel safe and respected. In 2021, more than half (58%) of Electricity Canada members reported having a publicly available diversity policy.

When companies diversify their workforce, they can better represent the interests of the community in which they serve. Figure 8 demonstrates the number of women in senior positions, comparing 2019-2021.

Figure 8: People who identify as women in senior positions, for 2019 - 2021

Member testimonies/success stories on successful activities and outcomes for business excellence

Alectra Utilities Corporation

Vegetation management program

Alectra Utilities Corporation (Alectra) leveraged new technologies and analytics to help with an issue that utilities have had to cope with for as long as there has been an electrical grid – trimming trees around power lines. Targeting areas prone to tree related outages, the team used analytics generated by satellite imagery to identify potential problem spots, a much more effective method than the traditional way of having crews drive out to do periodic trimming of tree growth adjacent to their lines. Although the program is only in its infancy, it is already paying off with a 31 per cent decrease in tree related outages in 2021 compared to the average of the last three years.

AltaLink

Innovation enhancing employee safety and assisting enviornment performance

Over the last two years, AltaLink has been working with FulcrumAir, an independent robotics company that specializes in developing precision-focused aerial robotics for the high wire powerline industry, in developing a prototype robot that could install bird markers user drone technology. Traditionally, bird markers are installed manually using a helicopter, bucket truck, or conductor cart. Now, using FulcrumAir’s E7500 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) called the LineFly, a robotic device is placed onto the powerline wires to deploy the bird diverters. In areas where the UAV is unable to safely fly, a bucket truck will be used to place the LineFly onto the wires. Once placed, the LineFly travels down the line fast and efficiently, placing markers at predetermined intervals. The LineFly can install 300 to 600 markers a day. Last year, the LineFly completed the installation of approximately 4,500 bird markers. Deploying this new robotic technology means that bird diverters can be installed in almost any type of weather condition and work can be performed in areas that might otherwise be difficult to reach, such as wetlands or environmentally sensitive rights-of-way.

EPCOR Utilities Inc.

Employee recruitment, training, and retention

At a corporate level, measures on diversity in the workplace remained stable over the last year, with little or no change compared to 2020. Moving into 2022, EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR) plans to continue with their commitment to being an inclusive, supportive, and respectful employer. As teams are brought together again at facilities, following the removal of pandemic health measures, employee engagement will be a priority, providing opportunities to reconnect, work collaboratively and share in a re-energized employee experience. This will contribute towards the target of top decile performance for employee engagement, as measured against a comparator group of companies in 2023.

Along with these plans, eligible employees were able to request participation in Where We Work — a new hybrid work program that will see employees splitting workdays between time at an EPCOR facility and their home offices. The program is designed to balance the benefits of connecting with team members in-person, and the convenience of working from home, with the intent of improving work-life balance.

The five pillars

Ontario Power Generation

Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability is investing in innovation

Ontario Power Generation (OPG)’s Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability (CCNS) is developing and promoting sustainable ways to minimize the impact of nuclear power generation, with a focus on the end of the nuclear lifecycle. The CCNS team is working on solving some of nuclear energy’s most complex challenges, including decommissioning, waste stewardship and site repurposing, while bringing the same spirit of innovation to decommissioning nuclear stations that OPG brought to building and operating them. To execute its long-term plan to find creative, innovative technologies and tooling, CCNS is collaborating with a wide range of industry partners, vendors, community members, academia, and Indigenous partners.

Photo: Ontario Power Generation

The Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability

Saint John Energy

Awards for Innovation

Saint John Energy’s vision for an intelligent electricity grid captured a global award saluting innovation. The International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) declared Saint John Energy’s smart grid its top project, selecting the locally owned energy company as the winner of the 7th ISGAN Award of Excellence.

The prestigious award was presented to Saint John Energy in a ceremony from the Twelfth Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting, hosted virtually by Chile in May 2021. The global forum shares best practices and promotes policies and programs supporting the transition to a global clean energy economy.

In addition, Canada's Clean50 singled out Ryan Mitchell, President and CEO of Saint John Energy, for championing a strategy for growth driven by innovation and the pursuit of cleaner energy solutions. The Clean50 awards are announced annually by Delta Management Group and the Clean50 organization to recognize those 50 individuals or small teams across 16 different categories who have done the most to advance the cause of sustainability and clean capitalism in Canada. A record number of nominees – more than 900 individuals – were considered for the Clean50 for 2021.

Photo: Saint John Energy

Saint John Energy has received several awards for innovation

Toronto Hydro

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Toronto Hydro has been a signatory to Electricity Human Resources Canada’s Leadership Accord on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to affirm the organization’s commitment to advance governance, education and practices that support women to both understand the opportunities available in the electricity industry and achieve equal opportunities for growth and development. In 2021, 100% of executives and 99% of the senior leadership team completed a training program aimed at improving the identification of unconscious bias and adopting best practices to promote a more inclusive workplace. Through collaborations with Electricity Canada and local colleges and universities, the focus of Toronto Hydro’s continuous efforts has been on the promotion and mentorship of women to pursue educational programs in electrical engineering fields of study and to avail a gender-diverse talent pipeline to fulfill short- and longterm workforce staffing and succession management requirements.

Glossary of key terms

All injury/illness rate

The number of fatalities, lost-time injuries, and medical treatment injuries per 200,000 employee-hours worked.

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2e)

Universal measure of global warming potential for greenhouse gas emissions.

Lost-time injury/illness rate

The number of lost-time injuries or illnesses (requiring time away from work) per 200,000 employee-hours worked.

Lost-time injury severity rate

The number of days lost due to injuries or illnesses (requiring time away from work) per 200,000 employee-hours worked.

Net generation

The total amount of electricity generated, minus the electricity used to operate the generating facility.

Non-emitting generation/sources

A means of generating electricity that does not result in direct generation of carbon emissions, which includes sources such as renewables, nuclear, and hydro generation.

Priority emissions

Nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO 2), and mercury, which are all generated through combustion, have multiple sources, and can have detrimental environmental and health impacts in sufficient concentrations.

Priority spills

A petroleum spill of more than 500 litres, to a spill that contains more than one gram of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and to any volume of petroleum-based or PCBcontaminated substance that enters a water body.

Renewable energy

Is energy from sources that do not rely on a fuel source which there is a finite supply. A primary example is wind and solar energy.

Resources

1. Canada, E. and C. C. (2022, March 16). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www. canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/canadianenvironmental-protection-act-registry/achieving-net-zeroemissions-electricity-generation-discussion-paper.html

2. Canada, E. and C. C. (2021, December 21). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www. canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/top-tenweather-stories/2021.html#toc6

3. Canada, E. and C. C. (2022, March 16). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www. canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/canadianenvironmental-protection-act-registry/achieving-net-zeroemissions-electricity-generation-discussion-paper.html

4. Canada, E. and C. C. (2021, July 13). Government of canada confirms ambitious new greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www. canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2021/07/ government-of-canada-confirms-ambitious-new-greenhousegas-emissions-reduction-target.html

5. Armstrong, J. (2021, September 14). Canada election: Complete list of promises about tackling climate change. Global News. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://globalnews.ca/ news/8110205/canada-election-complete-list-of-promisesabout-tackling-climate-change/

6. Canada, S. (2021, November 24). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.canada. ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/canadainternational-action/un-climate-change-conference/cop26summit/achievements-at-cop26.html

7. Canada, T. (2021, June 29). Building a green economy: Government of canada to require 100% of car and passenger truck sales be zero-emission by 2035 in Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.canada.ca/en/ transport-canada/news/2021/06/building-a-green-economygovernment-of-canada-to-require-100-of-car-and-passengertruck-sales-be-zero-emission-by-2035-in-canada.html

8. Canada, E. and C. C. (2021, June 21). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.canada. ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/canadainternational-action/coal-phase-out.html

9. Innovation. Electricity Canada. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.electricity.ca/knowledge-centre/journal/innovation/