Electricity in Canada - statistics & facts
The electricity sector of Canada is dominated by clean energy sources, namely hydropower and nuclear energy. By land area, Canada is the second-largest country in the world and is rich in renewable freshwater resources: rivers, reservoirs, and lakes that power the majority of the country’s electricity grid. The first hydroelectric facility in Canada started operations in the early 20th century, and the sector expanded ever since. By the 2020s, Canada’s hydropower generation was second only to China and made up over 60 percent of the total electricity generation in the country.
Nuclear energy is the second-largest source of electricity in the North American country, which ranked among the 10 leading countries worldwide by operable nuclear power capacity in 2023. Five out of the six nuclear power plants in the country were located in Ontario, which generated around 50 percent of its electricity from nuclear. As of 2023, the Canadian NB Power and Ontario Power Group were planning the construction of new Small Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), while the latter signed a cooperation agreement with the French multinational energy company EDF, announcing new EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) facility projects in the country.
By comparison, the provinces of Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories derived most of their electricity from fossil fuels. These provinces also accounted for some of the highest end-use electricity costs in Canada.
Electricity sector in Canadian provinces
The provinces and territories that share a border with the ocean, namely Quebec, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario, accounted for the largest hydropower generation in Canada in 2022.Nuclear energy is the second-largest source of electricity in the North American country, which ranked among the 10 leading countries worldwide by operable nuclear power capacity in 2023. Five out of the six nuclear power plants in the country were located in Ontario, which generated around 50 percent of its electricity from nuclear. As of 2023, the Canadian NB Power and Ontario Power Group were planning the construction of new Small Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), while the latter signed a cooperation agreement with the French multinational energy company EDF, announcing new EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) facility projects in the country.
By comparison, the provinces of Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories derived most of their electricity from fossil fuels. These provinces also accounted for some of the highest end-use electricity costs in Canada.
