Get to know us

Clean Energy Canada is one of Canada’s leading clean energy think tanks. Find out more.

About us

Clean Energy Canada is a climate and clean energy program within the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University.

We work to accelerate Canada’s clean energy transition by sharing the story of the global shift to renewable energy, clean technology, and sustainable industries. We conduct original research, convene influential dialogues, inform policy leadership, and drive public engagement.

We believe Canada is well-positioned to be a global clean energy leader today and into the future, but time is of the essence.

Which is why we must act now.

Put simply, the clean energy transition is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Canada to build a resilient, growing, inclusive economy.

Read our 2022 annual report

cover page of 2022 annual report

Our mission

Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a renewably powered economy. Over the years, we’ve developed a winning combination of strategies to achieve this goal:

Getting the Story Out

Bringing People Together

Inspiring Policy Leadership

Engaging Canadians

Our Story

Tides Canada launched our project in early 2010, and in March 2015 we became an initiative of the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. At that time, the university named our executive director, Merran Smith, a fellow of the Centre.

Our team members regularly speak at conferences and summits, testify before government bodies, and participate in public processes. Media frequently call upon staff members to comment and share perspective on news and trends in the domestic and global clean energy economy.

As a registered Canadian charity, we are strictly non-partisan. Our charitable registration number is #118520725 RR0001 and our head office is in Vancouver, British Columbia.

What is Clean Energy?

For us, the term “clean energy” spans supply and demand and includes technologies and services that:

increase renewable energy supply

improve the infrastructure and systems that transmit, store, and use energy

enhance energy efficiency, delivering the same services with less energy

deliver key energy services—power, heat, and transportation—while reducing carbon pollution

Our team

Merran Smith
Founder and Chief Innovation Officer

Mark Zacharias
Executive Director

Rachel Doran
Director of Policy and Strategy

Trevor Melanson
Communications Director

Natasha LaRoche
Operations Director

Joanna Kyriazis
Program Manager

Evan Pivnick
Program Manager

Ollie Sheldrick
Program Manager

Ekta Bibra
Senior Policy Advisor

Stefan Pauer
Senior Analyst

Keri McNamara
Senior Communications Specialist

Sicellia Tsui
Communications Specialist

Kim Old
Graphic Designer

Deb Thomson
Operations and HR Coordinator

Lyndsey Easton
Executive Assistant

Our partners

We bring people together to drive real change.

As part of the Morris J. Wosk Centre For Dialogue at Simon Fraser University, we form transformational, multisectoral partnerships with other think tanks, environmental groups, industry, and Indigenous organizations to inform and accelerate Canada’s transition to a clean energy economy.