Letter to Minister – 2023 edition of Canada's Energy Future

20 June 2023

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Natural Resources
580 Booth Street
21st Floor, room C7-1
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0E4

Dear Minister:

On behalf of the Canada Energy Regulator (CER), I am pleased to provide you with the 2023 edition of Canada’s Energy Future.

The report, titled Canada’s Energy Future 2023: Energy Supply and Demand Projections to 2050 (EF2023), is the CER’s first long-term energy outlook that models net-zero by 2050. This report was developed in direct response to your 16 December 2021 letter requesting the CER undertake scenario analysis consistent with Canada achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, including:

  • Fully modelled scenarios of supply and demand of all energy commodities in Canada
  • Modelling which reflects a global context in which the world achieves its Paris Accord goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius; and
  • Modelling which considers the relevant uncertainties, including future trends in low-carbon technology and energy markets.

As an independent regulatory body, the CER produces timely and relevant energy analysis like EF2023 to inform the energy conversation in Canada. The CER does not develop government policies, nor does it assess the appropriateness of such policies. As such, this report does not provide predictions or recommendations, but rather presents net-zero scenarios that can help Canadians and policy makers see what a net-zero world could look like. The report is the latest contribution of analysis and data by the CER to the very important public dialogue on Canada’s energy future.

It is important to state that the actual pathways to net-zero will be much broader than the technical and economic considerations that are the primary focus of EF2023. Policy choices, global energy markets, technology, consumer behaviour, and the pace of climate action in Canada and around the world will all influence Canadian energy and emission trends towards achieving net-zero by 2050.

I would like to close by expressing my deep appreciation to the dedicated CER team that has worked tirelessly to put together this informative report.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

Cassie J. Doyle
Chairperson of the Board of Directors

c.c.: Mollie Johnson, Interim Deputy Minister, NRCan
Gitane De Silva, CEO, CER

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