Industry profile: Hydrogen

Canada is a global leader in hydrogen and fuel cell innovation, with growing demand driving investment across industrial, transport, energy storage, and heating applications. Canada’s significant hydrogen potential, skilled energy workforce and strategic energy infrastructure assets position Canada to become a top global producer and exporter of low-carbon hydrogen.^{Footnote 1} Hydrogen has a critical role to play in a low-carbon economy, and helps Canada diversify its future energy mix, creating good quality jobs and generating economic benefits.^{Footnote 2}

Canada’s hydrogen economy will create new jobs in research and development, manufacturing, and services, and can support increased participation from traditionally marginalized and under-represented groups as part of an inclusive transition.^{Footnote 3}

Current actions

• The Hydrogen Strategy for Canada emphasizes the development of production and distribution infrastructure and highlights the need to build workforce awareness and capacity.
• The Clean Fuels Fund supports production and deployment projects that drive clean growth, new sources of energy and sustainable jobs.
• The Clean Hydrogen, Clean Technology Manufacturing, and Clean Technology Investment Tax Credits came into force in June 2024 and enable investments in the sector.
• Clean Fuel Regulations: Research has indicated up to 31,000 jobs could be created under these regulations, which aim to spur the adoption of cleaner fuels such as hydrogen.^{Footnote 4}
• The Hydrogen Codes and Standards Roadmap supports regulatory harmonization to accelerate market adoption and reduce barriers to the development of hydrogen projects.
• Some hydrogen-related projects – particularly in mobility and fueling infrastructure – also receive funding support through the Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative.

Economic opportunity ^{Footnote 5}

• Leveraging expertise: Canada is well-positioned to lead hydrogen production and utilization based on their existing workforce expertise in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, oil and gas, renewables and electricity.
• In Alberta, the Alberta Industrial Heartland Hydrogen Task Force forecasts tens of thousands of jobs linked to hydrogen development by 2030.
• British Columbia is home to Canada’s largest and most established hydrogen technology sector. It already has a skilled workforce, filling nearly 1,500 full-time equivalent jobs, with this number expected to continue to increase over the coming years.^{Footnote 6}
• New regional opportunities: Hydrogen economies are also emerging in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and there is strong economic potential in rural, Indigenous, and remote/coastal communities, contributing to regional job creation and equity in the clean energy transition.
• Seizing global opportunity: Momentum for hydrogen and fuel cell technology is growing around the world. The IEA’s revised forecast suggests that more than 2 million tonnes of low carbon hydrogen per year is expected to be consumed by refiners and industrial facilities by 2030.

Hydrogen career examples

Anticipated workforce opportunities

• 
  5,500 to over 80,000
  Canadians could be employed in the sector by 2050, with high-growth or export-driven scenarios pushing totals to 200,000+ jobs.
  ^{Footnote 7}

• 
  31,000
  potential jobs linked to Clean Fuel Regulations.
  ^{Footnote 8}

• 
  60%
  of global hydrogen demand is expected to come from the transportation, power and industrial sectors by 2050.
  ^{Footnote 9}

Additional information and resources

Job-related training and education

Relevant programs are emerging at institutions such as:

• SAIT’s Centre for Energy Research and Clean Unconventional Technology Solutions
• University of British Columbia’s Hydrogen Hub
• Simon Fraser University’s Clean Hydrogen Hub
• NAIT’s Clean Energy Professional Upskilling Program
• BCIT’s Hydrogen Hub (Fueling Change Program)
• University of Windsor’s Hydrogen Summer School
• Hydrogen Research Institute at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• College of North Atlantic’s School of Sustainable Development
• University of Alberta’s Centre for Hydrogen Innovation, Workforce Development and Outreach

For mor ecareer information:

• Careers - Canadian Hydrogen Association
• Careers – Careers in Energy
• IPHE Early Career Network
• Careers - Hydrogen Europe
• Vacancies – Clean Hydrogen Partnership