TORONTO — Energy ministers from several provinces and territories announced a new agreement Wednesday aimed at exploring the development of a national electricity transmission network across Canada.The announcement was made during the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, where Ontario Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce said the agreement would focus on improving electricity transmission links between provinces and territories.Officials said the initiative would examine potential projects to strengthen interprovincial power connections, expand electricity trade within Canada and develop a coordinated strategy for national energy infrastructure.Representatives from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Yukon, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories have agreed to participate in the initiative. Quebec has expressed support for the concept but has not yet signed the agreement, according to Lecce..The announcement comes amid growing electricity demand projections across Canada. Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator forecasts demand in the province could increase by as much as 90 per cent by 2050, driven by population growth, industrial expansion, electrification and the development of energy-intensive sectors such as data centres and artificial intelligence.Lecce said Canada’s electricity system was largely designed with north–south transmission links connecting to the United States rather than east–west connections within Canada.“Today we have a choice,” he said. “We can remain siloed and limit our trade, or we can build a truly pan-Canadian grid that connects us east and west, north and south.”The agreement is intended to coordinate planning between provinces and territories as system planners assess potential intertie projects and transmission corridors. Governments involved say the work will include identifying infrastructure priorities, evaluating costs and timelines and seeking federal investment.Officials also said the effort will prioritize partnerships with Indigenous communities in developing potential projects.New Brunswick Deputy Premier and Energy Minister René Legacy said the initiative reflects the need for greater cooperation between provinces.Legacy noted that Atlantic Canada already relies on interprovincial transmission links and recently announced a $600-million first phase intertie project with Nova Scotia.“A kilometre of transmission line costs the same whether you have 400,000 ratepayers or four million,” he said. “Working together is the right path for the future of our provinces and the future of Canada.”Yukon Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker said stronger interconnections are particularly important for northern energy security..He cited the proposed Yukon-B.C. Grid Connect project — an approximately 800-kilometre transmission line linking Yukon’s isolated grid with British Columbia’s system — as an example of the type of infrastructure that could be supported through improved coordination.According to Yukon officials, such a connection could help provide winter electricity reliability, reduce diesel use in remote communities and support critical mineral development in the territory.Federal participation is expected to play a significant role if projects move forward. Lecce said provinces plan to present a coordinated strategy to Ottawa once system planners identify priority projects and estimated costs.No timeline or overall cost estimate has been established for the proposed national electricity grid initiative.However, provincial officials said the agreement represents an initial step toward developing a long-term strategy to expand Canada’s electricity infrastructure and improve connections between regional grids.
