If Canada truly wants to be an energy superpower, we need to think bigger and act quickly
Upon taking office, Prime Minister Mark Carney set an ambitious and timely goal for his government: to make Canada the world’s leading energy superpower.
It’s a bold vision and one Canadians should rally behind. But we won’t get there by relying on our “natural strengths” alone. Digging up our resources and shipping them abroad is not the path to prosperity.
When other countries do the refining, processing, and manufacturing, they realize most of the value. This leaves us dependent on foreign supply chains, vulnerable to global shocks, and disconnected from the full economic potential of our own resources.
If we want to kickstart our economy and truly become an energy superpower, we need a bigger and broader vision. We need a well-rounded, national strategy that embraces our traditional strengths, like oil and mining, and the energy sources of the future, like electricity, nuclear, and renewables.
Canada must begin treating energy not as a bulk commodity, but as a strategic asset that fuels everything from domestic manufacturing to advanced innovation. To move up the value chain and compete globally, we need a vision that emphasizes building sustainable export supply chains and a shared commitment across the public and private sectors.
If not, the opportunities will be taken from us.
Canada was once a global leader in pulp and paper. But between 2000 and 2020, Canada’s newsprint production fell by over 75 per cent. Though we still export raw pulp, much of the value-added manufacturing now happens in countries like China. The result? Fewer high-paying jobs, mill closures in Ontario and Quebec, and lost ground in a sector we once dominated.
Canada used to refine much more of its crude oil domestically, producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and petrochemicals for both domestic and export markets. But in the past 40 years, more than 20 refineries have closed. Canada now exports over 80% of its crude (primarily to the U.S.) where it is refined and, in many cases, sold back to us.
If we don’t act, we risk repeating the same mistakes in the clean energy economy.
Over the next 25 years, electricity demand in Canada is expected to double, driven by the electrification of transportation, industry, and the explosive growth of data centers powering artificial intelligence.
At the same time, 70% of North America’s electrical grid is beyond its intended lifespan. The world is entering a once-in-a-century rebuild of its energy infrastructure—and Canada has the resources, talent, and stability to lead that transformation.
What can we do differently this time?
First, we need a plan. We need a national energy strategy that brings together clean energy, traditional energy, net-zero goals, and economic growth. We must define what it means to be an energy superpower so that governments, industries, and communities can move in the same direction.
Second, we need to work together. This transformation cannot rest on governments alone or it will fail. We need to mobilize a unified “Team Canada” approach that brings together provinces, the private sector, Indigenous communities, academia, and labour. Strong public-private partnerships can re-shore manufacturing, expand refining, and accelerate innovation across the clean energy value chain.
Third, we need to create policies that match our ambitions and the scale of our potential. That means strengthening trade agreements like CUSMA to secure access to U.S. markets and clean energy supply chains. It also means expanding clean energy tax credits across the entire electricity ecosystem—not just for car manufacturers and utilities, but for the supply chains and critical infrastructure and technologies that power them.
Finally, we must invest with intention. That includes targeted research funding, support for domestic equipment manufacturing, and building resilient Canadian supply chains for critical minerals and clean technologies. We must become a superpower in energy technology, equipment, systems, and services—from generation and transmission to EVs, advanced batteries, and smart grids.
We can’t afford to wait
In 1975, one in five Canadians worked in manufacturing. Today, it’s one in 11. Ontario has lost over 20,000 manufacturing jobs alone this year, but we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn things around.
Canada has the resources. We have the workforce. We have the values, credibility, innovative capacity, and democratic stability to be the world’s most trusted energy partner.
With a bold vision, coordinated action, and modern policies, Canada can move beyond pipelines and power lines.
We can build the industries of the future and take our rightful place as a true energy superpower.