From August 2025 through July 2026, almost four-fifths of Canada’s electricity came from low-carbon sources, while about one-fifth came from fossil fuels. Hydropower dominated, supplying more than half of electricity, followed by nuclear at about 12% and wind at 8%. Biofuels and solar contributed roughly 2% and 1%, respectively. On the fossil side, gas supplied about 18% of electricity and coal just over 2%. Canada therefore has a strong clean electricity foundation, but replacing the remaining fossil generation would further reduce climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Canada?

Canada’s latest figures do not demonstrate growth relative to its historical peaks: electricity consumption per person remains substantially below its record. The latest 2026 figure is about 15,900 kWh per person, roughly 3,700 kWh—or 19%—below the record of 19,600 kWh in 2000. Low-carbon electricity generation is also below its peak, at about 12,600 kWh per person compared with 15,300 kWh in 1996, a decline of approximately 2,700 kWh, or 18%. These comparisons do not establish the latest year-on-year trend or whether total national consumption is growing, but the shortfall in clean electricity per person is concerning as electrification and AI create additional demand.

Suggestions

Canada can build on its substantial nuclear fleet by expanding existing nuclear stations and adding new capacity, alongside faster deployment of solar and wind. Relevant examples include France, where nuclear supplies about two-thirds of electricity, and the US state of Ontario’s neighbour, Illinois, where it supplies almost half. Finland offers a useful northern-climate comparison, generating about 37% of its electricity from nuclear and 25% from wind. For solar, Canada can learn from Germany’s roughly 20% share and the US state of Maine’s 18%, demonstrating meaningful solar contributions beyond the sunniest regions. Wind deployment in the US states of North Dakota and Iowa, supplying about 36% and 57% of their electricity respectively, also offers useful lessons for Canada’s prairie provinces. Pairing these additions with grid expansion would help Canada deliver more clean electricity.

History

Canada’s low-carbon electricity history features substantial hydropower expansion alongside important nuclear gains. Selected annual hydropower increases from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s ranged from about 15 to 20 TWh, before a 16 TWh fall in 1989. Nuclear generation then grew strongly in 1993 and 1994, adding about 27 TWh across those two years, followed by another 16 TWh increase in 2004. Hydropower fluctuated considerably from the mid-1990s onward: major gains in 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2007 were interrupted by falls of about 19 TWh in 1998 and 25 TWh in 2001. A 17 TWh drop in 2010 was followed by a strong 24 TWh rebound in 2011. More recently, a 15 TWh increase in 2022 gave way to disappointing declines of about 37 TWh in 2023 and 14 TWh in 2024, underscoring the importance of expanding nuclear, solar and wind to strengthen Canada’s clean electricity supply.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Aug 2025 – Jul 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.