OCNI Welcomes Canada’s National Electricity Strategy
“Expanding Canada’s electricity system represents a significant nation-building opportunity that will require coordinated action across governments, utilities, and industry. Long-term planning and clear direction help strengthen project execution by giving industry the certainty needed to align capabilities, prepare supply chains, and build capacity ahead of demand. OCNI’s network of more than 250 nuclear suppliers forms part of the industrial foundation needed to support the large-scale electricity buildout required to meet Canada’s future needs.”
— Ivette Vera-Perez, President and CEO, OCNI
Canada’s proposed National Electricity Strategy signals a shift from long-term planning toward large-scale implementation. With electricity demand expected to double by 2050, the federal government has launched consultations aimed at determining how Canada can expand electricity capacity while maintaining affordability and reliability.
The strategy goes beyond generation targets. It identifies four areas of focus: expanding the infrastructure needed to grow electricity generation, strengthening East-West-North transmission connections, developing the workforce needed to build and maintain the grid, and increasing domestic manufacturing capacity for the technologies and components that support Canada’s electricity system.
Together, these priorities recognize that doubling Canada’s grid will require more than new energy projects alone. The focus on connecting fragmented electricity systems, addressing skilled labour needs, and strengthening made-in-Canada manufacturing reflects a broader understanding that delivering electricity projects is not only a construction challenge. It is also an industrial and supply chain challenge.
For Canada’s nuclear sector, many of these priorities are already familiar. Delivering projects such as Darlington New Nuclear and other large-scale energy developments requires early planning, supplier readiness, long lead manufacturing, and a workforce capable of supporting decades of activity. OCNI member companies are already supporting major projects and strengthening Canada’s nuclear supply chain through expertise spanning engineering, manufacturing, technology development, and project delivery. As the strategy enters its consultation phase, OCNI is ready to engage with government and industry partners, helping ensure practical project experience and supply chain perspectives are reflected in Canada’s long-term electricity planning and implementation.
Read the full announcement below:
Powering Canada Strong: A National Strategy for an Electrified Canadian Economy – Natural Resources Canada