Natural Resources Canada’s 2024-25 Departmental Plans at a glance

Departmental results:

• Canadians have access to cutting-edge research to inform decisions on the management of natural resources;
• Communities and officials have the tools to safeguard Canadians from natural hazards and explosives;
• Communities and industries are adapting to climate change.

Planned spending:

Planned human resources:

Summary of plans:

As Canada’s climate is changing, the Government of Canada is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 to mitigate impacts on Canadians and their communities. Through science and research, NRCan will develop programs and policies that will reduce the impacts of climate change and protect communities against climate occurrences.

To achieve this, the Department will collaborate with federal, provincial/territorial governments, Indigenous groups, local governments and academia to mitigate and reduce risks to communities and businesses from wildfires, flooding, pests and other risks accentuated by climate change.

Through the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative, NRCan will advance whole-of-society collaboration and governance, to strengthen resilience to wildfires, and improve the understanding of disaster risks. This will increase disaster prevention and mitigation, and enhance disaster response capacity and coordination, while fostering innovative forest management capabilities and approaches.

To further support emergency preparedness, satellite imagery and near real-time mapping information will enable responses to flooding and other natural disasters. In addition, it will advance planning by collaborating with provinces and territories to develop and disseminate flood hazard mapping for higher risk areas throughout Canada.

NRCan’s science and research activities will also support the Government of Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy by leading the Climate Change Adaptation Program to increase climate change resiliency in natural resources sectors and communities. The program will also continue to deliver national knowledge assessments of climate change impacts and adaptation.

NRCan will also contribute to the Government of Canada’s commitment to planting an incremental two billion trees to support to Canada’s GHG emissions reduction target in 2030 and net-zero emissions target in 2050.

Through the Geological Survey of Canada, the Natural Hazards and Climate Change Geoscience program will deliver tools and data that will support decisions related to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in areas such as infrastructure and environmental change decisions.

The Geoscience for a Net-Zero Future Program will explore new and emerging energy sources and identify subsurface energy storage potential for future utilization. This new knowledge will help reduce risks surrounding new energy source exploration, encouraging new industry investment to develop clean and renewable energy sources in support of goals of reaching net-zero by 2050.

In support of Canada’s commitment to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, NRCan will advance First Nation self-determination and economic reconciliation by working with Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to advance work in the context of First Nations Land Management.

More information about Natural Resource Science and Risk Mitigation can be found in the full departmental plan.

Departmental results:

• Natural resource sectors are innovative;
• Clean technologies and energy efficiencies enhance economic performance;
• Canada’s natural resources are sustainable.

Planned spending:

Planned human resources:

Summary of plans:

If Canada is to reach its climate objectives while undergoing the energy transition, Canadians will need clean power. As Canadians replace their oil furnace with electric heat pumps, plug in their electric vehicles and as we look to decarbonize industry and our households, Canadians will need the clean power it requires. Clean power will help Canada meet the demand gap while ensuring that we meet our climate objectives. Through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, NRCan will invest approximately $4,5 billion through 2035 to advance smart renewable energy projects, including clean electricity, wind, solar, geothermal, storage, and grid modernization that will enable the clean grid of the future.

As part of implementing the Emissions Reduction Plan, NRCan will work with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada and other federal departments who support capacity building and clean energy projects in Indigenous, rural, and remote communities.

Canada’s Small Modular Reactor Action Plan will develop and deploy SMRs as a potential tool for emissions reduction within Canada and abroad. In addition, NRCan will invest $29.6 million over 4 years to fund research and development to address waste generated from SMRs and to develop Canadian supply chains for SMR manufacturing and SMR fuel supply.

To further support the energy transition, NRCan will advance Canada’s Hydrogen Strategy by working with stakeholders to advance the development of codes and standards across the vast and varied hydrogen value chain.

To advance zero emissions vehicles adoption, NRCan will fund the deployment of electric vehicle chargers and hydrogen refueling stations across Canada through the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. In addition, NRCan will implement the Clean Fuels Fund to grow clean fuel production capacity in Canada.

NRCan will also play a significant role in supporting Finance Canada to implement various tax measures that support manufacturing and adoption of clean technologies in the natural resources and energy sectors. This includes providing technical and engineering assistance for the Investment Tax Credit for Clean Technology, Hydrogen, Carbon Capture and Storage, Clean Electricity, and Clean Technology Manufacturing, as well as for certain classes of Accelerated Capital Cost Allowances.

NRCan will advance research, development and demonstrations of new clean energy technologies and solutions to accelerate energy systems transformation and ultimately help to reduce GHG emissions and achieve Canada’s net-zero goals.

Energy efficiency and the responsible use of energy are essential parts of a net-zero future. Initiatives span multiple sectors and target homes, buildings, communities, industry, transportation, appliances, and other equipment. In particular, NRCan will work with Indigenous organizations and governments, provinces, territories, municipalities and industry to chart a path to achieve a net-zero buildings sector and residential sector by 2050.

NRCan will strengthen bilateral and multilateral relationships with provinces and territories, and co-chair intergovernmental fora such as the Energy and Mines Ministers Conference (EMMC) to advance shared priorities related to the energy transition. In 2024, NRCan will co-chair the EMMC with Alberta.

In partnership with federal, provincial and territorial governments, and Indigenous groups the Regional Energy and Resource Tables will identify significant economic opportunities in each province and territory that will decarbonize electricity and increase clean technology adoption necessary in the transition to a low carbon economy. The Regional Tables will continue to identify where additional resources may be required and discuss better alignment across all levels of government to further develop a competitive resource driven economy.

In addition, the Government’s legislation on sustainable jobs will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and help ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy.

More information about Innovative and Sustainable Natural Resources Development can be found in the full departmental plan.

Departmental results:

• Access to new and priority markets for Canada’s natural resources is enhanced;
• Canadians are engaged in the future of the new and inclusive resource economy;
• Enhanced competitiveness of Canada’s natural resource sectors.

Planned spending:

Planned human resources:

Summary of plans:

To support the competitiveness of Canada’s natural resource sectors, it is important to lean into the modernization that comes with the transition to a low-carbon economy. The natural resource sectors of the future will be more innovative, inclusive, greener, and digital.

Canada is already positioned as a supplier of choice in natural resource sectors, such as critical minerals. Critical minerals are essential to clean technologies, such as batteries, that will help drive the transition to a net-zero-emissions future, and fighting climate change. To this end, the Department will lead and implement the Critical Minerals Strategy in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous groups, industry, and other Canadian and international partners and invest $1.5 billion through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund to support clean energy and electrification initiatives as well as transportation and infrastructure projects that will enable the sustainable development of Canada’s critical minerals. In addition, NRCan will further strengthen Canada’s position as a global leader in the critical minerals space with the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan by bringing together federal, provincial, and territorial governments to promote industry competitiveness.

Energy security and affordability are at the forefront of international affairs. Conflicts around the world have exposed the vulnerability of global markets and impact the supply chains for many commodities and industries. Concurrently, countries around the world are racing to take advantage of the green industrial shift and a clean energy transition that offers significant new market opportunities and demands strong and secure supply chains. Building upon past work under the Government of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, NRCan’s international engagements in the region will contribute to strengthening supply chains and facilitating stronger business-to-business relationships, as well as the energy security transition efforts to our allies. We are working to advance collaboration with European partners, including with respect to cross-Atlantic hydrogen trade. We will continue to collaborate closely with the United States on key issues including critical minerals and nuclear energy. NRCan will contribute to increasing trade and investment in Canada’s natural resources sector by facilitating the participation of Indigenous business leaders in international trade and investment missions to key markets.

NRCan is supporting Canada’s objective to be a leader in the shift to a low carbon economy by utilizing resources, technology and experience to pursue opportunities that will drive job creation and economic growth, including by continuing to deliver its Science and Technology Internship Program-Green Jobs through the Government’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy. NRCan provides funding to eligible employers across Canada to create green jobs and training opportunities for youth in the natural resources sector, with the goal of de-risking the hiring of new and diverse talent.

As part of its efforts to advance economic reconciliation in the natural resources sector, NRCan will advance an Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program, as the cornerstone of a National Benefits-Sharing Framework, to help ensure Indigenous communities benefit from major resource projects.

More information about Globally Competitive Natural Resource Sectors can be found in the full departmental plan.