Highlights

The Banff Dialogue agreed that a Canadian Clean Energy Strategy was needed now to secure Canada's economic, energy, and environmental future.

We live in a changing world and must recognize the risks to Canadian prosperity by allowing our economic, energy and environmental futures to be defined by divisions within our borders and changing realities outside our borders. Maintaining the status quo has significant costs for our quality of life. There is another way forward.

A Canadian Clean Energy Strategy will allow Canada to seize the opportunities for new prosperity in a low-carbon world. It will reinforce our national and regional strengths as an innovative, competitive energy producer and exporter, building jobs and growth for Canadians. It will unlock the research and innovation necessary to foster Canada's enormous potential in green technologies. It will stimulate a new era in federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal collaboration leading to greater coordination in policy and program efforts benefitting Canadians and the private sector, thereby contributing to a stronger federation. It will highlight the central importance of energy conservation and efficiency to achieving positive environmental outcomes. And it will contribute responsibly and meaningfully to national and international climate change solutions that reduce greenhouse gases emissions.

Canada needs a Canadian Clean Energy Strategy that will:

Enhance our Economic Prosperity and Energy Advantage by:

• Supporting a full and diverse range of energy sources while recognizing the regional diversity and mix of energy resources as a core Canadian advantage.

• Enabling Canadians to capture the economic opportunities inherent in the global movement towards lower carbon products, services and technologies.

• Seeking out new markets for energy exports, while maintaining a healthy trade relationship with the U.S.

• Making energy innovation a cornerstone of Canada's success in a competitive continental and global economy.

• Ensuring energy access and security for Canadians, and for our country.

Demonstrate our Environmental Leadership by:

• Minimizing the environmental impact of energy production and maximize waste reduction.

• Maximizing energy conservation at home.

• Building Canada's global brand and reputation.

• Developing appropriate market and regulatory tools, including a price on carbon.

Create a Stronger Federation by:

• Providing a coordinated structure and framework to encourage investment.

• Contributing to policy coherence and collaboration among all orders of government on required investments and problem-solving.

• Engaging Canadians as consumers and citizens in supporting these advantages