The latest analysis from the CER suggests that onshore wind will account for about 70% of total planned renewable capacity additions in Canada over the next five years. Based on planned projects, some 6,206 MW of new wind is forecast by the end of the decade, far outpacing expected additions in solar and hydroelectricity.

Solar capacity is set to increase by 2,337 MW and hydropower by 202 MW, bringing total planned renewable additions to more than 8,745 MW. If all planned projects proceed, renewables would reach 72.9% of national electricity capacity by 2030, up from 70.5% in 2025, predicts CER.

Provincial trajectories differ, with Quebec leading planned growth in renewables at 3,545 MW by 2030. Alberta follows with 2,413 MW of renewables in development – an important jump for a province historically shaped by the fossil fuel sector, in particular production from the Athabasca oil sands. British Columbia is the third biggest, expected to add 1,635 MW of new renewable capacity over the same period.  

Although renewables already account for 97.5% and 97.2% of the energy mix in Quebec and British Columbia respectively, both are forecast to see ‘marginal increases’ by 2030. Meanwhile, Alberta’s renewable power capacity share is forecast to rise from 46.6% in 2025 to 53% by the end of the decade.

At present, hydro is the backbone of Canada’s electricity system, accounting for 58% of generation, while wind accounts for around 6% and solar and biomass each contribute roughly 1%. Natural gas currently accounts for 16% of generation and nuclear 14%, with coal and coke contributing the remaining 4%. CER also notes that renewable energy currently meets about 16% of total electricity demand.

According to Darren Christie, CER’s Chief Economist, declining capital costs, improving efficiency and favourable policy frameworks have made Canadian renewable projects increasingly competitive. These trends, Christie says, have enabled the development of both large-scale and community-level installations.

Maritimes clean-energy buildout

Supporting the renewables expansion, earlier this year Canada’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson announced C$16mn (US$11.5mn) in federal funding to support a suite of projects including wind and solar in the Maritimes provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Georges Bank moratorium  

Although keen to scale clean energy in Canada, the government says it doesn’t want to do so at the expense of marine ecosystems and coastal economies. As a result, Canada and Nova Scotia have announced a moratorium on offshore wind development in the Georges Bank region of the Maritimes.  

Georges Bank lies between Cape Cod and Nova Scotia and is one of the world’s most productive fishing grounds. Its complex habitat supports abundant fish stocks, marine mammals and corals, sustaining thousands of jobs in fisheries and related industries. The new wind moratorium aligns with the longstanding prohibition on oil and gas development in the area, first put in place in 1988.

Trevor Boudreau, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Energy, said the decision strikes a balance between advancing the province’s offshore wind ambitions and protecting traditional industries that underpin coastal economies. Offshore wind, he noted, could make the province a net exporter of clean electricity and generate lasting economic benefits, but not at the expense of fisheries. The moratorium ensures Georges Bank remains reserved for its ‘best purpose’, while offshore wind is pursued in more suitable areas, he said.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Nova Scotia is pressing ahead with ambitious offshore wind plans. Four zones – French Bank, Middle Bank and Sable Island Bank off southern Nova Scotia, and Sydney Bight off Cape Breton – were jointly designated earlier this year for a targeted 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030.