Quebec: Clean electricity snapshot

Overview of electricity in Quebec.

Low-cost, clean hydropower generation is a superpower for Quebec’s economy and can help the Atlantic provinces complete the decarbonization of their economies. Provincial investment in next generation green hydrogen is at a cross-Canada high and Quebec windfarms are spinning out power across the province.

A clean electricity grid can have several benefits

In addition to cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, a clean electricity grid can provide several benefits:

• Independent experts from Clean Energy Canada forecast that the Quebec will see 366,000 clean energy jobs added in the Atlantic region between 2025 and 2050^{Footnote 1} , providing both economic growth and new job opportunities as the provinces moves towards a net-zero economy.
• Quebec windfarms produce over 4000 megawatts (MW) of energy. In March 2023, Hydro-Quebec accepted projects to add an additional 1,150 MW of wind power to meet increased consumer demand between 2019 and 2029.
• Quebec leads Canada in making the switch to electric vehicles, which are charged by a low-emissions grid. The Government of Quebec offers rebates of up to $7,000 to help residents purchase a fully electric vehicle.
• The federal government will continue to advance the Atlantic Loop interprovincial transmission lines to provide system reliability and low emissions in the Atlantic region^{Footnote 2} .

Electricity generated

As of 2022, Quebec had 4,363 MW of wind installed on its grid

Economic opportunities and key projects

Following the historic investments made in Budget 2023, the Government of Canada has now committed over $40 billion to support the clean electricity sector, including with below-market financing through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, grants and contributions such as the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, and a new Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit. These investments being made alongside the Clean Electricity Regulations will help drive significant economic opportunities in the province through the construction of new power sources and retrofitting of existing plants.

A battery plant by General Motors that is being constructed in Quebec will employ 200 people in its first phase.

Canada’s hydrogen strategy forecasts that there will be 350,000 hydrogen industry jobs in 2050.

The Government of Quebec projects that green hydrogen and bioenergy production projects could add up to $10 billion in investments in the province’s economy^{Footnote 3} .

Hy2gen’s site in Montreal will produce 173,000 megatonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2026, providing new economic opportunities in the hydrogen sector.

A new biofuels facility project in Varennes, Quebec, is expected to create over 500 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs once operational.

Keeping electricity affordable

The Government of Canada is supporting households with their energy switching, through home retrofit programs, zero-emission vehicles purchase incentives and more, to help Canadians save on their energy bills.

$40 billion in new Government of Canada measures to meet the growing demand for electricity can minimize future cost impacts being passed down to Quebecers.

The Canada Greener Homes Grant program has already helped over 11,800 Quebec residents make their homes more energy efficient.

Renoclimate Quebec offers financial assistance to make homes more energy efficient.

The Government of Canada is providing several investment tax credits, including a Clean Electricity investment tax credit of up to 15 per cent and a Clean Technology investment tax credit of up to 30 per cent, to support clean energy projects.

Recent announcements

In April 2022, $300 million of federal clean energy funding was directed to the Wah-ila-toos partnership for clean energy projects in Indigenous, rural and remote communities in Canada.

In May 2022, the Government of Canada announced nearly $5-million to establish the Energy Modelling Hub to help develop ways to decarbonize Canada’s energy system.

The Government of Canada is committing $277 million into the Varennes Carbon Recycling facility, which will convert 200,000 tonnes of waste into biofuels annually.

The Government of Canada has invested over $21.6 million in funding to 14 Indigenous communities to help implement clean energy projects with one community located in Quebec.

Canada and Quebec are engaged in discussions regarding the Atlantic Loop, which could help with the transition away from emitting sources, address increasing pressures on rates, and facilitate the buildout and movement of clean electricity in the Atlantic region.