Welcome to IEA Wind Member Country Activities for Canada

Canada is the sixth largest electricity producer in the world, and the fourth largest exporter - all of its exports go to the United States. With a huge landmass, lengthy coastlines, and quality wind resources, Canada has enormous potential to generate electricity from wind. In 2010, Canada installed more than 800 MW of new wind energy capacity, representing more than 1.7 billion CAD (1.27 billion euro; 1.69 billion USD) in new investment. By the end of 2010, Canada had more than 4,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity - enough to power over 1.4 million Canadian homes.

Canada has nearly 140 wind farms, spread across 10 provinces and the Yukon. Ontario currently leads in installed wind capacity, with over 1.3 GW (one-third) of the country’s total capacity. Quebec and Alberta combined have one third, and the remaining provinces and Yukon account for the rest. The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has awarded over 2 GW of wind power projects since the start of its landmark Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program in 2009. Ontario will also be home to two new manufacturing facilities – Ontario’s first blade manufacturing plant and a tower manufacturing facility.

The government of Canada continues to accelerate the growth of Canada’s wind power sector through the Clean Energy Fund and ecoENERGY for Renewable Power. Initiatives are also being employed in many provinces. Moreover, the province of Nova Scotia introduced a new FIT specifically for small wind – the first in the country; and British Columbia’s Clean Energy Act received Royal Assent in the province’s legislature.

The focus of Canada’s wind energy R&D continues to be the advancement, development, and demonstration of safe, reliable, and economic wind turbine technology to exploit Canada’s large wind potential. Canada’s federal departments and research organizations are working together in R&D areas that are particularly relevant to Canada, including: improving the performance and reliability of small wind turbines, reducing the cost and increasing the penetration of large wind turbines, and improving the performance and reliability of turbines in Canada’s North.