Clean Energy Canada | A net-zero Canada will see 700,000 more energy jobs than exist today as clean energy job gains outpace fossil fuel declines: report
March 22, 2023

image of three workers in reflective vests working at an automotive parts factory

OTTAWA — Canada will see 700,000 more energy jobs in a net-zero 2050 than we have today, according to a new report from Clean Energy Canada with modelling from Navius Research.

While there will be a job decline in fossil fuels in this scenario (the world will want a lot less oil and gas), this is far exceeded by the job increase in clean energy as employment in the sector grows 7% a year out to 2050.

With the U.S. investing half a trillion dollars in clean energy and other countries quickly following suit, the energy transition is already a reality. Today, 92% of global GDP exists under a net-zero commitment. And as the latest IPCC report made it clear, the world needs to fast track these efforts to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

Our report also investigated the impact of current climate policies (like carbon pricing and the federal government’s recent climate plan) on energy jobs, finding that if a future government chose to roll back Canada’s key climate measures, there would be 100,000 fewer total energy jobs by 2050. In short, cutting climate policy eliminates more energy jobs than it saves.

It’s a fact that holds true even in Canada’s oil producing regions. While jobs in oil production are set to decline significantly as global demand plummets, jobs in Alberta’s clean energy sector would grow 10% a year out to a net-zero 2050—the fastest of any province or territory—with clean energy job gains far exceeding losses in fossil fuels. 

In fact, clean energy jobs are set to grow in every part of Canada, making this a truly pan-Canadian sector that encompasses a wide range of jobs, from the the assembler producing electric vehicles in Windsor, to the construction worker building energy-efficient housing in Yellowknife, to the drill operator on a geothermal plant near Saskatoon.

Put simply, Canada faces a pivotal moment. But these windows of opportunity are time-limited, and we cannot afford to misstep as the world races forward.

KEY FACTS

  • In a net-zero 2050, 1.3 million Canadians are set to be employed in EV-related jobs—60 times more than in 2025.
  • Almost half a million people will be employed to supply clean energy in Canada in a net-zero 2050.
  • Jobs in Alberta’s clean energy sector will grow 10% a year out to a net-zero 2050—the fastest of any province or territory. Between 2025 and 2050, there would be 419,000 clean energy jobs added in the province, significantly more than the 324,000 job decline expected in fossil fuels.
  • 88% of global emissions, 92% of global GDP, and 85% of the world’s population exists in jurisdictions with some kind of net-zero commitment, according to the Net Zero Tracker.
  • If Canada plays its cards right, it could build a domestic EV battery supply chain that could support up to 250,000 jobs by 2030, according to another recent Clean Energy Canada study.

RESOURCES

Report | A Pivotal Moment

Technical Report | What does achieving net zero mean for clean energy jobs in Canada?