Three Paths to Canadian Clean Energy Competitiveness

While growing and vibrant, Canada's clean energy industry currently holds 1% of the $1 trillion global clean tech market—an industry that will triple in size by 20201. With clean tech already a driver of innovation and employment, and over 700 companies at work, what can Canada do to fully capture the opportunity of the 21st century?

There are three public policy paths the Canadian federal government can take to move our clean technology industries forward, according to a new report by the Pembina Institute, discussed via webinar this week. A number of entrepreneurs, academics and executives were interviewed for the report, and they relayed the challenges Canadian clean tech firms have in accessing capital—as well as dealing with "among the worst clean energy policies in the industrial world," according to interviewee Dan Balaban of wind producer Greengate Power. They are:

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Based in Toronto, Robyn Hall recently completed the Masters of Information (MI) program at the University of Toronto, and is the former Communications Manager at Canadian Business for Social Responsibility and Ontario-based Alterna Savings credit union. She is a long-time believer that businesses of whatever type - co-op, private, public - are critical to the process of social and environmental change. The MI degree has opened the door to a better understanding of information issues in general, including the discovery of an interest in archives. Keeping our memories alive and understanding the past is a foundation from which to look ahead."2q