How we do energy in Canada: By the numbers

For 40 years, NATIONAL has been at the centre of Canada’s energy industry. During this time, the industry has grown and diversified to become a critical driver of our economy and prosperity, from coast to coast to coast.

As Prime Minister Trudeau informed an audience of industry leaders in Houston recently, “there is no path to prosperity in Canada that does not include a thriving, vibrant energy sector – both traditional, and renewable.”

Canada’s diverse energy bounty

Unlike many nations around the world, Canada is fortunate to have a substantial and diverse energy resource mix, ranging from oil and gas to renewables to nuclear fuel. How substantial and diverse are our energy resources? According to the federal government:

• Canada has the third largest proven oil reserves in the world. While the oil sands account for 97% of those reserves, petroleum development now takes place in other parts of the country, notably the north and Atlantic offshore regions.
• Canada is the fifth largest natural gas producer in the world and fourth largest exporter. A promising liquefied natural gas industry is underway on both the west and east coasts, offering new export markets, government revenues and jobs for Canadians.
• Canada is the second largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world and the seventh-largest producer of renewable energy. Hydroelectricity accounts for approximately 60% of Canada’s total electricity generation, representing over three times the global average.
• Canada is the seventh largest producer of wind energy in the world. Total installed wind capacity is expected to triple over the next 20 years. Canada’s solar power capacity has increased by 37% since 2014. In the past five years alone, approximately $45 billion has been invested in renewable energy projects across the country.
• Nuclear energy provides about 16% of Canada’s electricity needs, reducing somewhere between 40 to 90 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Canada is the world’s second leading producer of uranium, accounting for approximately 22% of total global production.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers notes that Canada’s oil and natural gas industry is the single largest private sector investor in the country, investing $37 billion in 2016, modest compared to past years, and accounting for more than 425,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country.

Canada’s energy transition is underway

While the oil and gas sector plays a critical role in our economy, and will for years to come, Canada is taking a leadership role in transitioning our economy to a lower carbon future through a bold new policy direction.

A national carbon price and a sharp focus on innovation, clean technologies, increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy production all aim to reduce our carbon footprint while supporting economic growth and job opportunities for Canadians.

Meeting the needs of Canada’s energy sector

As Canada’s energy sector is growing and diversifying, so too is NATIONAL’s expertise and capacity to serve the industry. Already a full service public relations and public affairs firm, we’ve now integrated analytics, digital and social media expertise and services into our offering to the sector, enabling our energy clients to seize the benefits of today’s digital and social tools.

And with an energy practice group of 81 consultants in nine Canadian cities and our London office, our reach extends across every Canadian jurisdiction and the nation’s capital, tapping deep relationships with governments, business, media, influencers, environmental and aboriginal groups.

Whether they’re in oil and gas, utilities, renewables or the nuclear power industry, NATIONAL is bringing Canada’s energy leaders new and creative communications and public affairs solutions and campaigns that change beliefs, drive behaviour and deliver results.

Because now, more than ever, communicating and connecting in a meaningful way with key audiences is essential in Canada’s new energy landscape.