Thank you so much.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
Clean Energy Canada is a national think tank at Simon Fraser University focused on advancing and seizing opportunities for Canada in the global energy transition. This committee's study comes at a vital moment. Canada is reorienting its economy and approach to global trade for a world where the U.S. is no longer a reliable trading partner and the rules-based system Canada has relied on is under threat. At the same time, escalating global conflicts are accelerating an equally fundamental shift—the electrification of the global economy.
Clean technologies are already dominating global investment. In 2025, of the $3.3 trillion of global capital spent on energy, $2.2 trillion went to clean energy technologies and electricity infrastructure. The electricity sector is now the largest energy employer globally. EVs are poised to make up 30% of new car sales worldwide this year. Last year, renewables overtook coal power as the largest source of electricity generation globally.
In the face of increasingly volatile fossil fuel prices, insecure supply chains and falling prices for clean energy technologies, all the countries Canada has sought to strengthen our trading partnerships with have doubled down on electrification as the safer long-term bet. The Korean government has framed the Iran war as a “significant turning point” and has advanced new commitments to nearly triple the share of renewable energy capacity on its grid by 2030. China's latest five-year plan aims to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030 and further secure its dominance in clean energy and technology supply chains. Just last week, the EU released a new strategy that expands efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports, doubles down on homegrown clean energy, accelerates electrification and invests in clean technology industries.
As Canada works to double non-U.S. exports and attract $1 trillion of new investment, these are the global energy and investment trends we must factor in. This starts with expanding how we think about energy exports. Whereas oil and gas are the hallmarks of the conventional energy system, electrons, clean technologies and critical minerals underpin an electrified one. Canada has all the ingredients to compete globally and position itself as a clean energy superpower, including a stable investment environment, affordable clean power, abundant natural resources, innovation and one of the most skilled workforces in the world.
To succeed, Canada must focus on two priorities. First, we must rapidly grow and modernize our own clean electricity system. Second, we must prioritize and invest in the economic sectors and supply chains that underpin global electrification. As the spring economic update made clear, “Clean, affordable, and dependable electricity is central to Canada’s long-term economic strength.” Securing this advantage will require Canada’s forthcoming clean electricity strategy to coordinate our energy trade and economic policies, increase investment into local grids and smart technologies, and provide a pathway to building new interties.