VANCOUVER — Evan Pivnick, associate director of public affairs at Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to the federal government’s announced support for key interprovincial transmission projects and the implementation of a Federal-Provincial-Territorial Framework on Interties:
“There are few electricity projects that will play a bigger role in achieving the government’s goal of doubling Canada’s electricity system than expanding the transmission links, or interties, between provinces. Today’s announcement of new financial and regulatory support for a suite of transmission projects across the country alongside a much-needed Federal-Provincial-Territorial Framework on Interties moves Canada meaningfully in the right direction.
“Interprovincal transmission plays a vital role in unlocking clean, reliable, and affordable electricity. New connections will expand everyone’s access to lowest-cost power supplies, give provinces enhanced options to address periods of peak demand, and help integrate more low-cost and secure renewables—reducing our exposure to volatile global fossil fuel prices.
“While new interties will be developed through coordinated regional planning between neighbouring provinces, the federal government has a number of integral roles to play when it comes to advancing interprovincial transmission projects. To its credit, the government appears to be embracing all of them. This includes prioritizing and accelerating regulatory processes, providing meaningful financial support, and helping ensure the necessary mechanisms exist to support regional system planning and coordination.
“Bringing new interties online should be a national priority that sits at the core of our efforts to expand our electricity system, helping ensure both households and industries have access to the low-cost, reliable, and clean electricity they need to electrify and lower energy costs into the future.”