The federal government is forming an advisory body to help it figure out how to spend more than $20 billion on electricity upgrades to help it meet its 2035 and 2050 net-zero emissions goals.. Federal Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan WilkinsonFederal Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson .Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson last week appointed 19 people to what he called an “independent body,” dubbed the Canada Electricity Advisory Council that will provide the government with advice on ways to decarbonize the electrical grid..The council will provide advice to the Natural Resources minister “that could help shape the significant electricity sector investments” announced in the federal budget. .Those include a 15% tax credit for non-emitting electricity generation, $20 billion in low-interest financing from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and “targeted funding where needed” from NRCan’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways fund, a $1.56 billion top up over eight years for renewable energy and electrical grid modernization. .In a release, NRCan said the council will cover both the reduction of existing emissions in the electricity sector needed to reach net-zero by 2035 as well as adding additional capacity needed to power a zero-emission economy by 2050..The group will work with other advisory bodies on climate and energy related matters such as the so-called Net-Zero Advisory Body. At the end of its one-year term, the council will prepare a report outing its analysis and recommendations to the minister. .NRCan said the federal government recognizes electricity is a provincial jurisdiction and will draw on work done by provinces and territories, local utilities and First Nations.."Canada's clean grid is already a competitive advantage — it helped us land the Volkswagen deal … we need to keep increasing the supply of reliable, clean and affordable power right across Canada,” Wilkinson said. .“The Electricity Council will help us build the grid we need by providing independent, expert advice on how to both grow and decarbonize Canada's electricity systems — in collaboration with the provinces and territories and with indigenous partners.".Council members were chosen across a variety of commercial, policy, technical and governance disciplines from across the country and will be chaired by Philippe Dunsky, who previously chaired the government of Quebec's Electrification Working Group and was a member of NRCan’s Generation Energy Council. .Western Canadian members include:.Bob Elton, former president and CEO of BC HydroKerry O'Reilly Wilks, executive VP, Legal, Commercial and External Affairs, TransAltaChief Sharleen Gale, chief councillor Fort Nelson First Nation and chair of the First Nations Major Projects CoalitionPete Bothwell, VP, Customer Experience and Initiatives, ATCO
