Canada, an energy superpower?
Not if we keep burying the blueprint.
There’s a certain irony in hearing people talk about Canada becoming an “energy superpower.”
Nearly 20 years ago, I worked with a national initiative — EnergyINet — that brought together governments, researchers, industry, and post-secondary institutions to pursue exactly that goal. We looked across Canada’s vast energy potential — wind, solar, oil, gas, nuclear, tidal, oil sands, geothermal — and focused on expanding our use of these resources while improving environmental performance.
Many provinces got behind the idea early. And while the federal government of the day said some of the right things, behind the scenes it slow-walked support, delayed funding, and added more red tape than real backing. Despite broad support across sectors, EnergyINet was eventually shut down.
Ironically, it was that small team who first coined the phrase “Canada as an energy superpower.” Somewhere in my basement, I still have the collateral with that very line.
Just think where we could be today if that vision had been allowed to take root. Would we still be facing some of the challenges we do now?
So what will it take to finally live up to that vision?
Governments need to stop being the obstacle to growth and investment.
They need to engage Indigenous communities early and meaningfully — so projects don’t get bogged down in completely avoidable legal fights.
And they need to move beyond performative soundbites and eliminate regulations that don’t improve safety or environmental outcomes.
If they can’t? Then in another 20 years, we’ll still be unboxing old promises instead of building new energy leadership. And we will probably never have another opportunity like this again.
With the economic threats we’re facing, now is not the time to be typically Canadian. We need ambition. We need to harness the potential and resources right at our fingertips. And we need to stop letting others dictate what we can achieve — and choose to take it ourselves.
We’ve worked with energy leaders, Indigenous partners, and governments to advance responsible development. If you're tired of red tape, performative politics, and missed opportunities — we can help you build something that lasts. >>> Let’s talk
