Interim New Democratic Party Leader Don Davies introduced legislation Tuesday requiring Canada to generate 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, Bill C-214, the National Renewable Energy Strategy Act, received first reading in the House of Commons on June 18.
The private member’s bill would legally mandate the federal government, working with provinces and Indigenous groups, to develop a national strategy achieving complete renewable electricity generation by December 31, 2030.
“Canada must accelerate its transition to a clean energy future,” the bill states in its preamble, citing federal greenhouse gas reduction targets of 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030.
The legislation is Davies’ latest attempt to advance the ambitious renewable energy timeline. The Vancouver Kingsway MP previously introduced similar bills in earlier parliamentary sessions, including Bill C-312 in the 44th Parliament, seeking the same 2030 target.
Davies, appointed interim NDP leader in May after the party’s disappointing electoral performance that saw it reduced to seven MPs, has made environmental policy a cornerstone of his political career. The legislation comes as the NDP works to rebuild its political standing.
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The proposed legislation would establish annual quotas favoring renewable energy development, requiring two new clean energy projects for every traditional energy project that begins construction. It mandates federal-provincial cooperation on large-scale public electric utilities and calls for incentives promoting solar, wind, tidal, and biomass electricity projects.
Within one year of passage, the Natural Resources and Finance ministers would need to design incentives encouraging homeowners and businesses to retrofit properties with renewable energy technologies.
Current federal policy aims for net-zero electricity generation by 2050, after the government in December 2024 abandoned its previous 2035 target. Government data shows renewable sources and nuclear power currently provide about 82% of Canada’s electricity generation.
Davies’ proposed 2030 target has a dramatically accelerated timeline, requiring Canada to achieve in five years what current federal policy allows 20 years to accomplish. Canada had approximately 18 gigawatts of wind energy capacity by the end of 2024, according to industry data.
The bill faces significant hurdles in a minority Parliament where Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government holds power. Private member’s bills rarely become law without government support, though their contents sometimes get incorporated into larger legislation.
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Environmental groups have long advocated for faster renewable energy transitions, arguing that current federal timelines are insufficient to meet climate commitments. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has called for global greenhouse gas emissions to fall 45% from 2010 levels by 2030.
Davies’ bill would require reports to Parliament every three years on the strategy’s effectiveness, with the initial national strategy due within two years of the act taking force.
The legislation now awaits scheduling for second reading debate.
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