A broad coalition representing industry, business, labour and Indigenous partners is urging the federal government to place clean electrification at the center of Canada's economic strategy, warning it is essential for securing long-term growth, investment and global competitiveness.
Clean Power as Economic Foundation
The initiative, organized by New Economy Canada, follows the passing of Budget 2025 and brings together organizations spanning mining, construction, steel, clean energy and technology sectors. The coalition represents over 60 organizations employing 410,000 workers and generating more than $200 billion CAD in annual revenue.
At a press conference in Ottawa on November 18, 2025, Merran Smith, president of New Economy Canada, emphasized that clean electricity has become the fundamental input for nearly every fast-growing sector, including artificial intelligence, clean manufacturing, critical minerals and national security.
Call for Strategic Government Action
The coalition welcomed recent announcements of clean electricity generation and transmission projects under the Major Projects Office but stressed that additional action is necessary to transform Canada's approach to electrification.
Smith outlined three key recommendations for the federal government: task the Major Projects Office with advancing major clean power and transmission projects as a strategic focus; launch a "United Canada" grid initiative to build interprovincial transmission corridors while respecting provincial and Indigenous jurisdictions; and unlock private investment through the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit.
Public opinion appears aligned with this direction. A post-budget poll by Spark Insights found that 75% of Canadians believe building more clean electricity and new transmission lines should be considered a nation-building project.
Industry Leaders Voice Support
Colleen Giroux-Schmidt, senior vice president of Innergex Renewable Energy Inc, expressed support for the commitments in Budget 2025 while calling for additional measures. "We welcome the commitments in Budget 2025 — providing durable supports that will help enable the build out of this critical infrastructure," she said.
Giroux-Schmidt emphasized the need for a streamlined regulatory framework, investments in interprovincial transmission corridors, stable funding commitments for Indigenous partners, and durable tax incentives that offer long-term certainty for investors.
The coalition argues that expanding generation, storage, transmission and energy efficiency will create hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs while enhancing Canada's competitive advantage in abundant clean power.
