From August 2025 through July 2026, low-carbon sources supplied about 79% of Canada’s electricity, while fossil fuels supplied about 21%. Hydropower dominated, providing more than half of all electricity at roughly 55%. Nuclear contributed around 12%, wind 8%, biofuels nearly 2%, and solar just over 1%. Among fossil fuels, gas supplied about 18% of electricity and coal about 2%. Canada therefore has a largely clean electricity mix, but replacing its remaining fossil generation would help reduce climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Canada?

The latest figures do not establish whether Canada’s total electricity consumption is growing, but they show that consumption per person remains well below its historical peak. The 2026 figure of about 15,900 kWh per person is roughly 3,700 kWh, or 19%, below the record of about 19,600 kWh in 2000. Low-carbon electricity generation is also below its per-person record: approximately 12,600 kWh today, compared with 15,300 kWh in 1996—a decline of about 2,700 kWh, or 18%. These shortfalls are concerning as electrification and growing AI demand increase the need for abundant clean electricity.

Suggestions

Canada can increase low-carbon electricity generation by expanding its existing nuclear fleet and accelerating solar and wind deployment alongside its substantial hydropower system. Finland offers a particularly relevant northern-climate example, generating about 37% of its electricity from nuclear and 25% from wind. France, where nuclear supplies roughly two-thirds of electricity, demonstrates the scale nuclear can achieve, while the US state of Illinois generates almost half its electricity from nuclear. For wind, Canada can learn from the US states of Iowa and South Dakota, where it supplies more than half of electricity. Solar also deserves a much larger role: the US state of Maine generates about 18% of its electricity from solar, demonstrating its usefulness in a northern setting, while Germany reaches 20%. These regions provide useful examples for expanding Canada’s clean electricity supply rather than simply replacing existing generation.

History

Canada’s recorded low-carbon electricity history shows strong expansion interrupted by substantial hydropower setbacks. Hydropower increased by about 15 TWh in 1978, followed by annual gains of roughly 15–20 TWh in 1981, 1984 and 1985, before falling 16 TWh in 1989. Nuclear delivered major advances in 1993 and 1994, adding about 13–14 TWh each year. Hydropower then rose nearly 20 TWh in 1996, fell 19 TWh in 1998 and recovered 14 TWh in 1999. The 2000s brought a 25 TWh hydro decline in 2001, followed by gains of about 17 TWh in 2002, 21 TWh in 2005 and 15 TWh in 2007; nuclear also added approximately 16 TWh in 2004. Hydro fell 17 TWh in 2010 before rebounding 24 TWh in 2011. More recently, a 15 TWh hydro gain in 2022 was followed by worrying declines of about 37 TWh in 2023 and 14 TWh in 2024, reinforcing the importance of expanding nuclear, solar and wind to support sustained clean electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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