Toronto, ON — Bryan Purcell, VP Policy and Programs, The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) made the following statement in response to Powering Canada Strong: A National Strategy for an Electrified Canadian Economy:
“The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) welcomes the announcement of the federal electricity strategy and its emphasis on end-use electrification, energy efficiency, building retrofits, and modernizing Canada’s electricity system.
“Urban regions are already experiencing the pressures of rapid electrification as demand grows across transit, housing, and industry. Meeting this demand affordably requires fully leveraging distributed energy resources (DERs) like smart EV charging, solar, and battery storage to substantially reduce peak demand, avoid costly infrastructure expansion, and improve resilience for communities. Today’s strategy provides a clearer national pathway for cities to scale up climate action while protecting affordability for residents.
“We are especially encouraged to see a commitment to expanding federal support for household efficiency programs. The Government is already funding innovative, high-impact work through the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI), a program helping scale up deep retrofits in multi-unit residential and other large buildings across the country. But with several major federal retrofit programs recently expired or set to wind down, it is critical that today’s commitments translate into new, long-term funding in Budget 2026 later this year. Expanding DRAI and stabilizing retrofit support would provide the certainty needed for cities and building owners to move faster, cut emissions, and reduce costs for residents, while supporting the growth of Canada’s retrofit market and workforce.
“Today’s announcement also underscores the urgency of choosing the most affordable and low-carbon energy pathway. Ontario is becoming increasingly reliant on imported U.S. natural gas, even as the province’s own most recent long-term procurement has shown that renewables provide the lowest-cost electrons available. While the federal strategy opens the door to additional natural gas generation, it is essential that this doesn’t come at the expense of energy affordability or Canada’s climate commitments.
“Electrification is clearly the future for transit, buildings, and industry, and grid expansion represents a nation-building opportunity that aligns Canada with global energy trends and strengthens our energy security. To get there affordably and reliably, Canada needs a grid that prioritizes renewable energy, storage, and DERs. We’re pleased to see federal support for updating building codes and energy efficiency standards, and we encourage the government to ensure upcoming regulatory changes enable faster deployment of renewables and fully integrate DERs into planning/market rules.
“Cities are ready to lead. With the right federal frameworks and support, focused on efficiency and clean electricity, we can accelerate urban climate action and build the healthy, resilient and affordable energy systems that communities depend on.”
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