Federal departments’ contribution to achieving Canada’s 2030 clean energy targets was limited

Ottawa, 7 November 2024—A report released today by Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry V. DeMarco concluded that Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Crown‑Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and Indigenous Services Canada’s failure to fully execute their departmental plans limited their contribution to Canada’s clean power generation and energy efficiency targets in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

Over 82% of the electricity produced each year in Canada is from renewable and non‑emitting sources. This leaves a gap of more than 7 percentage points toward reaching the target of 90% of electricity generated from renewable and non‑emitting sources by 2030. Significant acceleration is needed to meet the clean power generation target. As well, Canada is unlikely to meet its energy efficiency target by 2030 unless more aggressive action is taken by departments.

The audit also found that most of the reporting on progress by all 4 departments failed to clearly show how the reported results contributed directly to the federal targets. This left the federal government without a clear picture of its progress on clean power generation and energy efficiency targets.

“Generating cleaner power and improving energy efficiency are both key to reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the transition to a low carbon economy,” said Mr. DeMarco. “Redoubling efforts to achieve these 2 targets by 2030 would demonstrate Canada’s leadership in the global fight against climate change.”