Natural Resource Canada's 2023-24 Departmental results report

• Description
• Progress on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government-wide priorities
• Program inventory

Canadian Geodetic Survey: Spatially Enabling Canada

In collaboration with the U.S. National Geodetic Survey, the Canadian Geodetic Survey worked to harmonize, modernize and implement the geodetic referencing standards for North America to improve interoperability of geospatial data, including support for mass market applications and emerging applications in positioning, navigation and timing. Progress was made in 2023-24 to advance information and awareness efforts, collaborative research and development, and coordination with partners towards the adoption of nationally unified standards by 2030.

NRCan also expanded Canada’s Global Navigation Satellite System network to increase real-time positioning by adding 6 new sites and upgrading 3 others in BC, AB, ON, QC, NT, and NU.

Core Geospatial Data

In 2023-24, NRCan continued to develop geospatial data to inform science and data mapping for federal government departments, provinces and territories, industry, the public and international science organizations. Geospatial standards enabled access to consistent information across levels of government, positioning the government in a leadership role within geospatial forums.

In support of open government, NRCan facilitated discovery, sharing and access of geospatial and earth observation data through several platforms, namely: GEO.ca, atlas.gc.ca, the Earth Observation Data Management system and the Open Science and Data Platform.

As part of the Next Generation Ground Segment project, NRCan deployed several new earth observation cataloguing services to replace aging services. This improved the discovery of and access to satellite imagery by users. The Status and Trends Mapping program also continued renewal of earth observation data such as land cover, terrestrial water storage, minimum snow and ice extent, landscape deformation, permafrost, and vegetation indices.

The RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) data was converted into an analysis ready data standard maintained to allow integration with data from other international missions. In addition, a new system to automatically process Canadian RADARSAT data to provide surveillance and advance warning of volcanic activity to Canadians was developed and tested on an active volcano in Iceland.

During the month of August 2023, the RCM also provided emergency support for both the McDougall Creek Wildfire and the ZF15 Wildfire, following evacuation orders for Kelowna, BC, and Yellowknife, NT. A fire perimeter was created using satellite data to highlight buildings affected by fire.

NRCan advanced the National Elevation Data Strategy to make available lidar information that helped us better understand the landscape around us to plan more efficiently, including predict impacts of climate change such as flooding. The Department also launched the Canadian Hydrospatial Network, an improved and advanced geospatial data product that represents Canada’s surface water features, to better understand how surface water impacts people, infrastructure and the environment.

NRCan improved geospatial technologies to help manage Canada’s landmass. For example, innovation approaches were used to combine air photos with satellite imagery to showcase time series of change to Canada’s lands and waters over a 100-year period. Scientific knowledge developed through this approach contributes to climate change action and sustainable development in Canada.

On the international front, work with organisations such as the Open Geospatial Consortium and the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management continued in 2023-24. Through these forums, NRCan developed and implemented standards that support emergency management. These collaborations were also key for making Canadian geospatial expertise in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning available internationally.

NRCan also continued to provide open access to records of information through the Open Science Data Platform. This allowed Canadians to better understand cumulative effects and the impact of development activities or major development projects in Canada, in recognition of the need to advance the implementation of the Impact Assessment Act and enhance regulatory efficiency, especially for clean growth projects.

NRCan provided data, science and expert advice to impact assessments to support the delivery of the Impact Assessment Act. In 2023-24, scientific and technical expertise was delivered to 35 assessments, including on cumulative effects, to support evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development in Canada. 100% of requests were answered within legislated timelines. Additionally, 26 research projects from 2018-2023 were summarized and made publicly available through the Cumulative Effects Story Map.

NRCan is also working with Indigenous groups to consider and include their perspectives into cumulative effects with utmost respect of the Knowledge holders and their community. For example, discussions during the Fwd50 conference addressed challenges and remedies in braiding open science with Indigenous knowledge and the importance of obtaining a more complete understanding of the cumulative effects of natural resource development on Indigenous communities and rights.

NRCan also collaborated with ECCC, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Indigenous groups along the route of the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project, in support of the TMX Terrestrial Cumulative Effects Initiative. This enhanced the OSDP content collections related to resources to understand cumulative effects in Western Canada to support better understanding of cumulative effects to the freshwater and terrestrial environment within the six regions of interest in British Columbia and Alberta.

Geological Knowledge for Canada’s Onshore and Offshore Land

NRCan upheld Canada’s obligation under Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law Of the Sea (UNCLOS) treaty to define the extent of Canada’s continental shelves and file submissions with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Renewed funding for Canada’s UNCLOS program was announced as part of Budget 2023 to validate Canada’s 2022 outer limits of its extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. Planning is underway for three new geoscience surveys in the central Arctic Ocean, to conduct seafloor mapping of the full extents of Lomonosov Ridge, Alpha ridge and Mendeleev Rise.

In 2023-24, Geo-Mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) continued discussions with Indigenous groups regarding geoscience priorities, including completing 18 field trips involving 58 scientists across 13 projects. This included bedrock geology mapping of the Churchill-Kivalliq Corridor during which a community-based approach was adopted to engage and involve interested residents of Whale Cove and Arviat, Nunavut in the planning of fieldwork to collect bedrock samples. The community approach provided employment opportunities while concurrently strengthening interest, expertise, and capacity in geoscience within the Western Hudson Bay region.

In addition, the GEM program awarded 11 grants (totaling $711,387) including one to support a geothermal energy workshop for rural northern communities and an international conference in Whitehorse which included Indigenous groups. The projects include training with specialized equipment and database development to provide tools for land use planning and decision-making.

Canada- U.S. International Boundary Treaty

To preserve Canadian sovereignty and ensure security of Canadians, the Canada-United States boundary was maintained during 9 boundary maintenance projects, including the successful conclusion of a multi-year surveying project on the 119-kilometer St. John River section, initiated in 2020.

This project modernized international boundary coordinates along the river, fulfilling Canada's obligations under the 1925 Canada-US Treaty. Furthermore, it established a foundation for a comprehensive approach in updating the international boundary along transboundary waterways and ensuring that Canada’s contribution to the Commission meets its treaty obligations to maintain an effective boundary.

Canada Lands Survey System

NRCan continued to support the Government of Canada’s efforts to reinforce Indigenous Peoples self-determination by assisting with the implementation of the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management. Clear boundary demarcation contributed to securing land tenure required for enhancing the value of Canada’s land based economic activities.

In 2023-24, NRCan prepared 75 completed research reports, 21 land descriptions recorded in the Canada Lands Survey Records and an additional 8 land descriptions. Additionally, the Department delivered land surveying capacity in 6 First Nations communities tailored to the communities’ needs, while collaborating with 16 new and re-engaged First Nation entrants, encompassing 95 First Nation reserves. Budget 2023 is funding renewal for another 5 years will support activities, anticipating 50 new First Nation entrants.

In addition, Budget 2023 included funding to expand the First Nation Land Management to support the creation of a new First Nation Land Governance Registry. A collaborative initiative with the Lands Advisory Board for First Nation Land Management is underway to modernize the Canada Lands Survey System services to support a First Nation led and operated Land Governance Registry.

To facilitate capacity building within First Nations and surveying, NRCan published 2 guides intended to provide First Nations with information, tools and links to resources for land survey work conducted on their lands either under their own land code under the Framework Agreement of First Nation Land Management or under the Indian Act.

In the Northwest Territories, the Gwich’in Land Survey Program is now entering its fourth year of a five-year plan to implement Canada’s obligations under the Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement to survey and demarcate Gwich’in lands.

Polar Continental Shelf Program

The Polar Continental Shelf Program supported more than 180 science and operations projects across the Canadian Arctic. Support was provided to projects across a wide diversity of disciplines, including investigations into geological and critical mineral deposits that will help guide mineral exploration and development in the North, as well as studies focused on climate driven permafrost thaw and its impact on highway stability, which will enable the development of mitigation and adaptation measures to strengthen the resilience of northern infrastructure.

Pest Risk Management

The Department protected jobs and forest health in Atlantic Canada by investing $9.7 million to successfully deliver the second year of the Spruce Budworm Early Intervention Strategy Phase III program. Spruce budworm populations have remained below outbreak levels throughout Atlantic Canada, largely due to this innovative pest management strategy and NRCan’s collaborations with provincial governments, industry, and academia.

In addition, NRCan provided forest managers across Canada with foundational scientific information to support management of damaging pests in natural, rural and urban forests, such as the emerald ash borer, mountain pine beetle, Spruce Budworm and hemlock woolly adelgid.

Geoscience for Sustainable Development of Natural Resources

Research conducted by the Geoscience for New Energy Supply program (GNES) helped explore new energy sources to encourage industry investment to develop clean and renewable energy sources in support of Canada’s target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. In 2023-24 the program advanced 12 research projects in Canadian terrestrial and marine environments focused on carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), hydrogen storage and geothermal energy. The program also delivered 24 scientific and technical publications, presented research outputs at 9 conferences and hosted 4 workshops to share results, and coordinate stakeholders to determine overall state of knowledge for Canada in keys areas to advance research in clean and renewable energy sources.

To help Canada address challenges associated with increased demand for critical minerals, the Critical Minerals Geoscience and Data Initiative held 2 internal calls for proposals and launched 38 internal research activities in 2023-24. The activities delivered 75 scientific publications and outreach products, including 4 datasets to accelerate the responsible development of Canadian critical mineral resources. The program is also working to review proposals to design the program’s website that will provide better data analysis and platforms for visualization specific to critical minerals.

Through the Targeted Geoscience Initiative, NRCan will increase mineral exploration effectiveness in Canada. The program held 2 internal calls for proposals and launched an additional 7 internal research activities in 2023-24. These activities delivered 149 scientific presentations, and 42 scientific publications while providing training and mentorship opportunities to 21 early career geoscientists.

The program also awarded 12 grants totaling $509,483 to Canadian universities for research that will provide scientific results that complement on-going, internal program research and support enhanced understanding of the formation of critical and economically important mineral deposits, as well as innovative methods to target them.

Explosives Safety and Security

Through licensing, inspection and outreach programs, NRCan protected the safety and security of Canadians from the potential dangers of explosives and their restricted components (precursor chemicals that can form explosives). NRCan also supported explosives sector by serving as a centre of expertise in explosives research. NRCan ensured compliance with provisions in the Explosives Act and the Explosives Regulations, 2013 that govern authorization, manufacturing, import/export, transportation, sale, acquisition, and storage of both explosives and restricted components. In 2023-24 NRCan conducted over 1,428 inspections and 130 outreach visits and administered 1,844 manufacturing and storage licenses. These regulatory measures helped ensure the safe and secure handling of explosives and restricted components in Canada.

A key priority for NRCan’s Explosives Program is the modernization of the Explosives Regulations, 2013. Currently, NRCan is bringing forward two omnibus regulatory amendments packages to address the findings of a Regulatory Review, with the goal of modernizing the explosives regulatory regime. These proposed amendments will update safety and security requirements, reduce administrative burden, and further modernize key programs such as the licensing and fee regimes. It is expected that both packages of amendments will be in force, in full or in part, by spring 2025. In addition, NRCan is participating in the Global Homemade Explosives Precursor Testing Project. Led by the United States’ Department of Homeland Security, this multiyear international project has as a goal to determine the dilution point at which explosives precursors can no longer be detonated. This information will not only provide robust scientific data to support NRCan’s restricted component regime but will also provide critical information to the intelligence and law enforcement communities regarding potential threats. This project is nearing completion with a final report expected in the Fall of 2024.

Geoscience to Keep Canada Safe

NRCan continued to keep Canadians safe from threats posed by natural hazards by continuing research related to hazards and providing information to decision-makers to reduce risks. In 2023-24, this was accomplished by continuing research related hazards to support public safety.

To this end, the Climate Change Geoscience Program pursued research to enable science-based decisions related to climate change and disaster risk reduction. In 2023-24, the program published 25 articles and reports to inform adaptation and mitigation decisions, particularly in areas susceptible to climate change impacts such as coastal areas, alpine and Northern communities. The program also continued its foundational work to monitor changes to permafrost and glaciers in support of national and international assessments on the impacts of climate change in northern and alpine environments.

In addition, the Department published 148 near real-time wildfire situational awareness maps, geospatial information maps and Environmental Radioactivity Surveillance datasets to support emergency responders.

The Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program (FHIMP) was expanded to support emergency preparedness and mitigate the impacts of flooding in high-risk areas by improving regional flood models and earth observation approaches. In 2023-24, the Program established a flood mapping portal that will host or link to outputs from FHIMP through the Canada Flood Map Inventory and developed flood mapping standards, models and tools for practitioners. Targeted engagement was also undertaken for an Indigenous Traditional Knowledge stream that will begin in 2024-25.

To help Canadians build resiliency to seismic risks, NRCan continued to provide near-real-time alerts for significant earthquakes in Canada 24/7, including forecasts for significant weather events while providing access to NRCan’s national earthquake risk assessment platform to emergency managers, planners, health authorities, and financial regulators to understand earthquake risk and inform risk reduction decisions. In addition, the first phase of Canada’s National Earthquake Early Warning System was launched to cover high-risk areas in BC.

Satellite imagery was used to provide mapping products that supported emergency responses in Canada. The Emergency Geomatics Services (EGS) responded to all emergency activation requests such as flood events and natural disasters received in 2023-24, including the McDougall Creek Wildfire near Kelowna, BC, the ZF015-23 wildfire near Yellowknife, NT, and Hurricane Lee. Mapping services were also provided to the Canadian Forest Service to support their operations as requested. GeoDiscovery data enabled support for emergency response activities by providing surge resource capacity and geomatics expertise to EGS, and the Departmental Emergency Operations Centre for selected situations where there were emergency activations.

The EGS also provided 21 map products to Government of Canada emergency managers, including near real-time satellite mapping services to support provincial and federal response to major flood and wildfire events in provinces and territories and for international partners. This includes collaboration with Manitoba’s Emergency Management Organization to develop standards-based approaches that support emergency management decision making approaches for integrating geospatial information to manage drought.

The Department provided subject matter expertise to update Public Safety Canada’s website in 2023-24 with hazard information on earthquakes, landslides, permafrost degradation, storm surges, tsunamis, and wildfires. The Public Safety Geoscience Program published over 35 articles and reports on earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, landslides, and coastal flooding to increase the understanding of these hazards and risks to Canadians and infrastructure.

Finally, NRCan supported research into the changing nature of geohazards with climate change, specifically increased risks from landslides with alpine glacier retreat and in areas with critical infrastructure (e.g., railways and pipelines) as well as coastal erosion and sea level rise.

Wildfire Risk Management

NRCan supported the sustainability of Canada’s forests as a source of livelihood for Canadians and as an important means to fight the effects of climate change by starting to implement the Resilient Communities through FireSmart program. The program signed five contribution agreements representing investments of $1.2 million in 2023-2024 to enhance the FireSmart Canada program, build capacity and develop or strengthen governance across jurisdictions. In addition, NRCan advanced planning toward the development of a Centre of Excellence for Wildland Fire Innovation and Resilience, including design of a national process to identify a proponent to administer the Center.

The Department expanded the knowledge base by working with partners to publish scientific reports that advanced wildfire science, helping to predict and manage wildfires. NRCan also supported the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre for operational coordination of firefighting resources exchange, expanded the FireSmart program across Canada and worked with provinces and territories to develop a draft Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategy for Canada.

The first public report of the National Risk Profile was published in May 2023, including an assessment of Wildland Fire Risk. Under the Emergency Management Strategy, NRCan worked to strengthen resilience to wildfires and improve the understanding of disaster. This includes:

• Completing the development phase of the Canadian Wildland Fire Information Framework to streamline and standardize the collection of wildfire related data from multiple sources across jurisdictions;
• Advancing work toward the Next-Generation Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System. This new system will increase the accuracy of wildland fire danger rating in Canada;
• Developing a draft methodology for a National Wildland Fire Risk Assessment Framework and initiating consultations. This framework will provide a standardized methodology and terminology for wildland fire risk assessment in Canada; and
• Providing funding and support for the establishment of an Indigenous-led national wildland fire working group – the Thunderbird Collective, to provide a forum for information exchange that will support Indigenous Fire Stewardship in Canada.

The Fighting and Managing Wildfire in a Changing Climate program is reducing risk from wildfires by building capacity to fight fires. This program supported projects from Indigenous groups to increase firefighting capacity and build community-based capacity and trained 644 participants. In 2023-24, the Department established funding agreements with 11 provinces and territories for firefighting equipment that reflected a federal investment of $222 million. To build longer term resilience to wildfire, the Department launched the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative that will invest $285 million over the next five years in actions that mitigate wildfire risk. NRCan also advanced mapping of northern forest areas to better quantify wildfire risk.

Climate Change Adaptation

In 2023-24, NRCan continued to contribute to the development and release of Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) to mitigate the risks accentuated by climate change. Under the direction of the NAS, NRCan leads the Economy and Workers System which is designed to help Canada’s economy anticipate, manage, adapt, and respond to climate change impacts; and to actively advance new and inclusive opportunities within a changing climate, particularly for communities at greater risk, Indigenous Peoples, and vulnerable economic sectors.

NRCan’s adaptation initiatives are captured under the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan (GOCAAP) to support the implementation of the NAS. This includes launching the Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities Program to provide $41 million over 5 years to fund 20 pilot projects that accelerate adaptation at a regional scale. To support applicants, NRCan published the Good Practices for Integrated Climate Change Adaptation in Canadian Coastal Communities report.

In addition, NRCan launched the Climate Change Adaptation Program, including a process designed to reduce barriers for Indigenous applicants. In 2023-24, the program approved funding to 37 applications and two assessment reports were delivered as part of national knowledge assessments of climate change impacts and adaptation.

Forest Climate Change

To further support the NAS, the Forest Climate Change program continued to provide science-based mitigation and adaptation solutions, including new and refined tools and analyses on the risks and impacts of climate change on forests. Impacts of forest management practices on productivity and related carbon implications continue to be assessed under different climate change conditions. Knowledge gained from scientific analysis and tools will enhance the resilience and sustainability of forests for Canadians and the long-term competitiveness of the forest sector. In addition, the national harvested wood products model used for emission estimates and reporting was improved to enable the analysis of substitution benefits including natural climate solstoring carbon and replacing more carbon-intensive materials and energy sources such as fossil fuels to reduce emissions. Improvements to optimize Canada’s carbon budget model were also undertaken, including notable progress towards the modelling of biomass in peatlands, which will recognize their potential as important carbon stocks. Improving modelling of emissions estimates will allow for a more accurate understanding of how forests and the forest sector can contribute to reaching net-zero by 2050.

As lead department of the Natural Climate Solutions Fund, NRCan continued to make significant progress towards delivering on the Government of Canada’s ambitious goal of planting two billion incremental trees over ten years to contribute to Canada’s GHG emissions reduction target in 2030 and net-zero emissions target in 2050.

In 2023-24, the 2 Billion Trees program (2BT) signed contribution agreements that represented plans to plant an additional 280.5 million trees by 2031. As of March 31, 2024, funded organizations have planted 157 million trees and the Government of Canada has agreements committed or under negotiation to plant over 553 million trees across Canada over ten years, including 54.6 million trees planted under Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund.

The program has launched an ongoing call for proposals since December 2022, focusing on long-term agreements with eligible applicants, including Indigenous governments and organizations, municipalities, for-profit, and non-profit organizations. In 2023-24, the program supported 122 projects 211 distinct species at more than 1,600 sites in 11 provinces and territories. Projects funded through the program have included capacity building; support for habitat for species at risk, including woodland caribou; creation and restoration of forest ecosystems on lands damaged by wildfire, pests, and other disturbances; increased carbon capture; and the creation of parks and greenspaces in and around cities. Thirty-six percent of the supported projects were urban, and 21% were Indigenous led.

In addition, 2BT has memoranda of understanding with five federal departments and agencies that will result in the planting of 3.3 million trees. The program also has signed Agreements in Principle and contribution agreements with 10 provinces and territories, leveraging a shared commitment to deliver social and environmental benefits for Canadians through tree planting. In August 2023, 2BT launched the co-developed $500 million distinctions-based Indigenous Funding Stream (IFS) to support the full participation of Indigenous peoples in natural climate solutions. As of March 31, 2024, 2BT has supported 43 Indigenous-led projects with $34.3 million in funding, including Indigenous-led projects supported prior to the launch of Indigenous Forestry Initiative 2023.

The use of GBA Plus allows the Department to identify and address potential and existing barriers to accessing and benefitting from NRCan programs to facilitate more inclusive and equitable opportunities and outcomes for all Canadians. Below are some examples of how the department leveraged GBA Plus under this Core Responsibility:

GEM GeoNorth held an in-person meeting for the Advisory Group Northerners in June 2023. Strategies on overcoming challenges to reach underrepresented groups to participate in the labour force were discussed. In support of developing long-term capacity building in Northern and Indigenous communities, 12 grants were issued and GEM-GeoNorth has since hired northerners, Indigenous peoples, women and supported geoscience information dissemination.

The Public Safety Geoscience Program completed a national seismic risk assessment that includes a social vulnerability model to help understand the social drivers of risk. The program further convenes a steering committee that helps ensure that the risk assessment made relates to decisions on the ground to help reduce risk for vulnerable peoples in Canada. This helps decision makers look at risk from the perspective of absolute losses (total) or losses based on the capacity of a jurisdiction.

In 2023-24, 2BT increased Indigenous participation in forestry activities by funding 26 projects led by 23 Indigenous organizations with over $18.4 million in grants and contributions funding, representing 21% of projects supported by 2BT in that fiscal year.

NRCan’s activities under this Core Responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nation 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals:

The Climate Change Adaptation Program continued to lead Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action, a national assessment of how and why Canada’s climate is changing, the impacts of these changes on our communities, environment and economy, and how we are adapting. The program delivered two reports as part of ongoing delivery of knowledge assessments on climate change impacts and adaptation: The Synthesis Report and For our Future: Indigenous Resilience Report (SDG 13 -Climate Action).

Hydrocarbon assessments were produced for Southampton Island, Qikiqtait (Belcher Islands) and the northern part of Sarvajuaq (Baffin Bay) and results were presented at planning meetings for Browns Bank-Fundian Channel (offshore from Nova Scotia). This helped advance marine conversation targets as the assessments are used in discussions about marine protected area boundaries and are inputs for economic analysis by other parts of NRCan (SDG 14 – Life Below Water and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals).

The Forest Climate Change program provided leadership in raising awareness and uptake of climate change mitigation and adaptation information by professional foresters, forest managers and other decision-makers through the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) and the Forestry Adaptation working group. In collaboration with the CCFM, a national strategic plan was developed to advance climate sensitive models for forest management decision making, enabling more effective policy and forest management. Additionally, under the CCFM, support was provided to the Forestry Adaptation Practitioners Network (FAPN) to build capacity and relationships to support action on climate change. Research funded by the Forest Climate Change Program created new information, methods, tools, and data in collaboration with federal, provincial, and territorial partners, as well as industry, academia, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous groups, to strengthen climate change resilience of forests and the forest sector (SDG 13 -Climate Action and SDG 15 – Life on Land).

More information on NRCan’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-27 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

With the support of a behavioural scientist recruited through NRCan’s participation in the Program of Applied Research on Climate Action and the Environment (PARCA), for instance, NRCan has helped Canadians increase their awareness of forest fire risks and promoted the adoption of prevention and mitigation actions such as those outlined in FireSmart Canada guidelines for communities and households vulnerable to forest fires.

• Description
• Progress on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government-wide priorities
• Program inventory

Energy Innovation and Clean Technology

Innovation is critical for Canada to achieve its climate change goals in conjunction with economic growth. In 2023-24, NRCan continued to accelerate the development of new energy technologies and solutions by investing $170 million in 344 energy research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects led by Canadian innovators in small and medium enterprises, industry, utilities, communities, and via world-class federal laboratories and research centers such as NRCan’s CanmetENERGY and CanmetMATERIALS. This included providing $85.7 million in funding to 163 R&D projects at labs and research centers across federal departments under the Energy Innovation Program (EIP) and the Program of Energy Research and Development to conduct applied R&D, produce key data and analysis, and inform the development of codes, standards, protocols, and frameworks. NRCan oversaw nine energy RD&D funding calls in key priority areas such as battery innovation, carbon utilization, decarbonization of transportation, smart grid demonstrations and regulatory innovation capacity building, and energy systems modeling. All calls were heavily oversubscribed, demonstrating a critical need for investment in these fields. NRCan also evaluated 555 Expressions of interest and 155 Full Project Proposals for new energy RD&D projects and signed 103 new grant and contribution agreements.

Energy RD&D projects supported by NRCan continued to advance pre-commercial technologies towards commercial readiness, with 68% of projects advancing one or more levels along the technology readiness scale, surpassing the 50% target. Projects also made significant contributions to advances in critical knowledge, data, and analysis, having filed for over 422 patents or other intellectual property rights; written 595 peer-reviewed publications or technical reports; created 195 platforms, software dataset or and tools; and influenced 118 codes, standards, or regulations. Projects also directly reduced 2.7 Mt of GHG emissions. Projects were successful in attracting investments into the energy RD&D sector, as every $1 of NRCan funding leveraged $2.6 in contributor funds, exceeding the target of 1:1.

NRCan achieved several key milestones that will spur efforts to reduce emissions in hard-to-abate sectors, while supporting a clean and competitive economy. NRCan and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada launched the Methane Centre of Excellence, a joint Mandate Letter Commitment, which will improve understanding and mitigation of methane emissions in Canada. In support of this, NRCan also launched a funding call for RD&D projects on Methane Measurement and Mitigation under the EIP. In September 2023, NRCan also released Canada’s Carbon Management Strategy which sets the vision and key priorities for the development of a globally competitive carbon management sector.

On the international stage, NRCan continued to provide leadership to accelerate clean energy innovation through the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Mission Innovation (MI), including co-leading MI’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Mission and participating in the Clean Hydrogen, Green Powered Future, and Integrated Biorefineries Missions. NRCan also participated in 23 of the IEA’s Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs) and provided expertise for the development of a series of IEA CCUS-related publications. Notably, researchers from NRCan’s CanmetENERGY lab participated in the IEA’s International Smart Grid Action Network TCP to work on bridging the gaps between grid-edge technologies and the electrical grid.

The Clean Growth Hub delivered on its mandate as the federal clean technology focal point, helping stakeholders navigate available federal programs and supports. The Hub increased to 18 member departments and agencies that help advance Canadian clean technology innovation and adoption. In 2023-24, the Hub supported 281 clients through its single-window service, proactively engaging clean technology companies that are poised to be leaders in this sector. The Hub also continued to implement a Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan to provide advice to equity-seeking groups to increase opportunities for diverse stakeholders in the clean technology sector.

The Digital Accelerator (DA) leveraged the potential of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to foster digital-driven competencies to make informed decisions and better serve Canadians. In 2023-24, the DA hosted workshops to build capacity and forge strategic partnerships with technology leaders, such as Microsoft, Vector Institute, Amii, and IBM. This supported project delivery and data-driven initiatives and provided AI/ML training to NRCan employees. Five projects were delivered, including wood pest detection and insect classification, and flood mapping projects that refined an existing approach using new RADARSAT data instead of old Satellite data using AI/ML for generation of flood maps, thereby improving emergency response and preparedness.

Green Mining Innovation

Part of the solution to climate change includes a battery ecosystem that will be environmentally friendly while supporting long term economic growth. NRCan provided technical advice to support Innovation Science Economic Development Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund reviews on projects relating to upstream parts of the battery value chain in Canada. NRCan also conducted research to provide critical data to support the development of environmental guidelines and regulations for the critical mineral mining industry and evaluated treatment technologies to support the inclusion of regulatory limits for new elements under Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations.

The Department organized four technical workshops with South Korean government research institutes on critical minerals and battery value chain R&D. Three new implementation agreements were signed between the Geological Survey of Canada and the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM). Follow-up discussions were held to explore R&D collaboration between CanmetMATERIALs and the Korea Institute of Energy Research on anode production and CanmetMINING and KIGAM on extracting lithium.

NRCan also launched a funding call for Smart Grid Demonstrations and Regulatory Innovation, and launched a Battery Industry Acceleration funding call to support technologies that accelerate battery value chain decarbonization, security and competitiveness for Canada.

Innovative Geospatial Solutions

Access to geospatial data supported decision-making, policy development and provided near real time data from satellites ground stations to users for mapping and weather surveillance. This enabled the Emergency Geomatics Service to provide information to responders to make informed decisions during disasters such as river ice monitoring and for flooding.

In addition, the Flood Susceptibility Index provided national flood susceptibility modelling using AI/ML. This national map of flood prone areas is based on patterns of historic flood events and can be used as a guide for identifying areas for further investigation. The Quantum Readiness Development Initiative project also progressed to better understand the promise of quantum computing in AI/ML methods.

To enable a better understanding of natural resource development, the Open Science and Data Platform (OSPD) leveraged a network of stakeholders and collaborators such as the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Open Government to support, inform and advance climate action, climate adaptation measures, biodiversity, and sustainable development of natural resources. The OSDP continued to innovate and enhance its user experience to improve accessibility of its resources to Canadians. The OSDP also continued to onboard and integrate data related to climate change, including a greater suite of earth observation data, which is now available on the Platform to support risk assessment and adaption planning.

To honor diverse knowledge systems and create more space for Indigenous voices in departmental science, research, and innovation, NRCan developed a draft Policy on Ethics for Research Involving Indigenous Peoples and Territories with guidance from NRCan’s Elders in Residence. The policy will guide in building respectful and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous partners.

Fibre Solutions

The Fibre Solutions program conducted research to deliver innovative, effective, and sustainable solutions to challenges faced by Canada’s forest industries to support a sustainable fibre supply for the forest bioeconomy. The Canadian Wood Fibre Center (CWFC) developed knowledge, tools and approaches aimed at reducing the risks to the forest fibre supply of Canada. In 2023-24, the CWFC conducted research and technology transfer on wood fibre characterization to inform decisions on links between fibre characteristics and market needs, and advanced knowledge and technologies on wood fibre. The results were disseminated to forest sector stakeholders, including publications in numerous peer-reviewed journals.

Energy Efficiency

Activities under the Energy Efficiency Program reduced energy consumption and costs, ensured a competitive, more sustainable and resilient economy, and supported climate goals. In 2023-24, the total annual energy savings resulting from adoption of energy efficiency codes, standards and practices was 124.2 petajoules (PJ)^{Footnote 25} (approximately equivalent to the amount of energy that 1,218,746 homes would use in a year).

In March 2024, the first Ministerial Amendment to the Energy Efficiency Regulations was published in the Canada Gazette, Part II. This new tool will help NRCan maintain regulation harmonization with other jurisdictions in a faster and more efficient manner.

Energy efficiency regulations achieved 19.70 PJ of cumulative annual energy and 95.5% of reported regulated product models complied with the energy efficiency standards. Additionally, ENERGY STAR for Products achieved an estimated 37.03 PJ of cumulative annual energy savings in 2023-24. NRCan collaborated with stakeholders to make significant contributions to the first code requirements to guide energy efficient alterations to existing buildings and limit GHG emissions in the built environment. The updated energy codes are expected to be published in late 2025. To accelerate building code adoption and implementation, the Department finalized the review process and negotiated 32 contribution agreements under the Codes Acceleration Fund.

To advance the Government of Canadas’s vision and next steps for greener, more energy efficient and resilient homes and buildings, NRCan led the development of the Canada Green Buildings Strategy that positions buildings decarbonization as a critical connection point between affordability challenges and housing supply needs. In addition, the Department facilitated the development of 12 deep retrofit projects in Canada including negotiating two Indigenous-focused contribution agreements under the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative.

NRCan launched a call for demonstration projects under the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP) to support up to six Energiesprong-inspired aggregated deep energy retrofit projects in community housing neighbourhoods across Canada, and signed six agreements to fund Market Development Teams, which will convene partners to find regional solutions and drive market transformation. Launching the GNPP includes measures intended to increase Indigenous participation. The GNPP delivers on Mandate Letter Commitments and aligns with recommendations from the Net-Zero Advisory Body to seek opportunities to decarbonize multiple buildings at once.

The Canada Greener Homes Initiative became fully subscribed due to strong demand with new intake closing in February 2024. Over half a million applications were received by March 31, 2024, including 192,704 grants issued totaling $833.5 million and 948 new Energy Advisors have been added since program launch for a total of 1,884 active Energy Advisors. Additionally, the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Grant continued to facilitate the transition from oil to heat pumps, thereby improving energy efficiency in homes of low- to median- income Canadians. As of March 31, 2024, 13,486 applications were received. Co-delivery agreements with three provinces (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island) were also finalized and there are ongoing negotiations with five other provinces and territories.

In efforts to promote energy efficiency in the industrial sector, NRCan implemented the Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program which provides financial assistance to support the implementation of energy efficiency and energy management solutions designed to maximize energy performance, reduce GHG emissions and increase competitiveness for industry in Canada. Sixty-five projects were recommended for funding through the program. At the same time, the Canadian Industrial Partnership for Energy Conservation hosted 13 webinars that engaged nearly 2,900 participants across industrial sectors, resulting in increased program uptake and greater industrial awareness on solutions to improve energy efficiency.

The Net-Zero Accelerator (NZA) supports large-scale investments in industrial sectors across the country to reduce GHG emissions by investing in decarbonization or large emitters, industrial transformation, and clean technology and battery ecosystem development. In 2023-24, the NZA Secretariat coordinated the review of approximately 12 Statement of Interest, 17 Investment Review Committee, 7 Interdepartmental Policy Planning Committee, as well as the review of 37 Call-to-Action projects.

Through the Clean Technology Data Strategy (CTDS), NRCan published several products on Canada’s cleantech sector which included socio-economic contribution of cleantech activities in Canada, as documented in the Environmental and Clean Technology Products Economic Account; clean technologies across the Canadian economy, produced through the Environmental Protections Expenditures Survey; data on the competitiveness of Canada’s cleantech companies and the innovators developing new cleantech goods and services; and Federal investment by type and amount into clean technology.

Lastly, NRCan worked in partnership with the Government of British Columbia to produce a profile of BC’s cleantech industry, leveraging data generated by the CTDS and launched similar approaches with Ontario and British Columbia.

Lower Carbon Transportation

To grow clean fuel production capacity, NRCan continued to administer the $1.5 billion Clean Fuels Fund. In 2023-24, the Department signed 53 contribution agreements totaling $412 million to support new build, conversion or expansion of existing facilities, and the establishment of biomass supply chains to improve logistics for the collection, supply, and distribution of biomass materials as a feedstock in clean fuel production facilities. In addition, the Fund provided support for feasibility and front-end engineering and design studies and collaborated with other government departments to develop a Bioenergy Strategy to help bolster Canada’s competitive strengths as a global energy leader.

NRCan supported ECCC and Finance Canada to develop an implementation plan aimed towards phasing out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including federal Crown corporations, by fall 2024. The Government of Canada also announced the publication of the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Self-Review Assessment Framework and Guidelines which delivers on the Government’s G7 and G20 commitments to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. Furthermore, NRCan collaborated with ECCC to draft the Oil and Gas Emissions Cap Regulatory Framework for decarbonizing the oil and gas sector to support 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction targets while being mindful of energy security, affordability, and the economy.

Supporting electric vehicle charging infrastructure, NRCan administered Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Programming to support the deployment of 42,244 new EV chargers as of March 31, 2024. In addition, the Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative funded 22 projects in 2023-24 with over $7.1 million of investments, including the launch of the Indigenous-led Awareness Pilot for EVs and clean fuels. The Pilot has funded five projects led by Indigenous stakeholders with over $1.7 million of investments. NRCan also continued delivery of the Green Freight Program to provide training, tools, and resources to help Canada’s fleets lower their fuel consumption, operating costs, and emissions.

NRCan successfully completed the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration (EVID) Program, which supported the demonstration of next-generation and innovative electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure in Canada. The program has supported 29 projects, with 26 projects fully completed and the rest in the process of wrapping up final project activities. Examples of supported projects included innovative electric bus charging technologies for public transit in Brampton, York and Toronto, as well as an incentive program to encourage off-peak charging that allowed the utility to reduce EV charging demand by 60% during peak hours.

Electricity Resources

To accelerate the modernization of Canada’s grid, NRCan released the Powering in Canada Forward report to mobilize efforts across Canada that will enable the electricity sector to provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to Canadians, and to set the stage for Canada’s first Clean Electricity Strategy, expected in 2024-25. In May 2023, the Canada Electricity Advisory Council was launched, with its final report released in May 2024 with recommendations for the Government of Canada to achieve net-zero emissions goals in the electricity sector, including advice on how to improve electricity systems planning and oversight, attract capital investments and maintain affordability.

In addition, NRCan continued to implement the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs) to support the deployment of clean electricity infrastructure. As of March 31, 2024, SREPs has approved 119 deployment and capacity building projects, allocating $1.3 billion in program funding towards $6.7 billion in capital investments, as well as approved funding for 69 deployment projects, enabling the deployment of approximately 2,550 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity and displacing 3.3 megatonnes of CO2e per year. Of these, 41 approved deployment projects have Indigenous ownership, representing $785 million in program contributions.

The Emerging Renewable Power Program (ERPP) continued to support emerging renewable energy projects so that they play a larger role in Canada’s electricity supply mix to reduce GHG emissions. In 2023-24, the ERPP supported three geothermal power generating projects, two tidal energy projects and a bifacial solar project through contribution agreements; commissioned the bifacial solar project; and transitioned the Tuh Deh Kah geothermal project in British Columbia into an expanded resource assessment phase after completing well-testing, to ensure the efficient and risk-managed development of the project.

The $453 million Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities Program (CERRC) signed an additional 34 agreements in 2023-24. To date, 97 projects have been completed and 90 projects are still active as of March 31, 2024. These include agreements to support projects under the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative (IODI) Program and Indigenous Services Canada’s Strategic Partnership Initiative Program. The CERRC Program supports renewable energy solutions including strategic investments such as the $4.9 million for the construction of Hesquiaht First Nation’s Ah'ta'apq creek hydropower project. This Indigenous-led project, like other renewable energy and electricity investments in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, will further help reduce the need for diesel as a power source in these communities. In support of clean power in Atlantic Canada, the Governments of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia advanced the Atlantic Loop Project by signing a Joint Statement on Developing and Transmitting Clean, Reliable and Affordable Power in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In 2023-24, the Strategic Interties Predevelopment Program committed an additional $11.4 million to support predevelopment work for projects that would improve regional transmission in Atlantic Canada, bringing the program’s total commitment to $22.5 million. Additionally, six contribution agreements were signed under the Electricity Predevelopment Program in 2023-24, funding predevelopment work to help accelerate the development of clean electricity infrastructure projects. This included Small Modular Reactors (SMR) in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, battery storage in Nova Scotia, and a project to improve grid system monitoring and automation as new clean energy assets are commissioned, and the proportion of intermittent wind grows on the Nova Scotia grid.

NRCan collaborated extensively with the governments of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador on the development of Bill C-49. This proposed legislation will expand the joint management framework with those provinces to include offshore renewable energy projects, and expand the mandate of the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board and the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board to regulate those projects. In addition, the Canada Offshore Renewable Energy Regulations, made under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, were published in February 2024 in the Canada Gazette, Part 1, for public comment.

To protect the security of Canada’s energy systems, NRCan continued to implement Canada’s National Cyber Security Strategy by working with trusted government and industry partners, domestic and international, to share and establish best practices, and to support engagement that highlights the federal cyber security tools and services that are in place to assist the energy sector as it protects its critical infrastructure, and detects, mitigates and responds to evolving cyber threats.

Energy and Climate Change Policy

With Canada’s 2030 and 2050 climate targets in mind, NRCan continued to play a key role in Canada’s clean energy transition, collaborating with other government departments to provide appropriate incentives, reliable processes, predictable policies and tools to instill certainty for industry actors.

Regarding assessment processes, NRCan continued to pilot the Integrated Climate Lens (ICL) framework in 2023-24, assessing the climate change mitigation, adaptation, resilience and economic impacts of federal decisions, to inform the development of a new assessment lens. Throughout the year, NRCan supported ECCC on merging the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) with the ICL, which concluded the ICL pilot and created the new Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment.

To ensure Canada delivers on its climate goals, NRCan co-led, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the interdepartmental Climate Plan Implementation committees, which provided strategic oversight and direction on the implementation of federal policies, programs, regulations, and services related to clean growth and climate change. The Department also participated in various mechanisms to monitor progress and ensure success as the government advances its energy and climate agenda, including the ECCC-led Climate Change Mitigation Horizontal Results Framework, as well as annual audits by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. Markedly, NRCan supported development of the Government’s first Progress Report on the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan which provided an update on the implementation of federal strategies, measures and key cooperative agreements with provinces and territories, as well as information on progress toward the 2030 target based on updated emissions projections.

NRCan also collaborated with TBS, PSPC, and INFC to develop the Government of Canada’s Buy Clean approach, to harness federal procurement and investment in public infrastructure to reduce embodied carbon emissions in the built environment.

NRCan contributed to fostering the ready availability of energy information available through continuing to advance the mission and vision of the Canadian Center for Energy Information (CCEI) including by participating in an engagement plan to collect feedback from provincial and territorial stakeholders on their priorities, interests and opportunities for collaboration. NRCan also migrated its Energy Fact Book for exclusive publication on the CCEI portal, highlighting the value of the platform as a one-stop shop for ready access to energy related data and analysis. Notably, initiatives are underway for NRCan to contribute more to CCEI’s success by bolstering collaboration within the energy information ecosystem.

Further acting in its role as a supplier of information on energy to inform sound policies and decision making, the Department supported the development of the Canada Energy Regulator’s Canada's Energy Future 2023 report.

NRCan also delivered technical guidance to Finance Canada to support the development of various tax measures that support the adoption of clean technologies in the energy and natural resource sectors, including several Investment Tax Credits (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) ITC, Clean Technology ITC, Clean Hydrogen ITC, Clean Technology Manufacturing ITC, and Clean Electricity ITC). Several of these Investment Tax Credits were enacted through Bill C-59 and Bill C-69 in June 2024, including: CCUS ITC, Clean Hydrogen ITC. Clean Technology ITC, and Clean Technology Manufacturing ITC.

NRCan also helped advance and inform the development of codes, standards, protocols, and frameworks required for Canada to develop a robust carbon management sector. In addition, NRCan worked with the Canadian Gas Association to advance the development of a Canadian Low Carbon Energy Emissions Registry for renewable gases.

To promote a people-centred, equitable, diverse, and inclusive energy transition, NRCan continued to support women’s participation globally in clean energy through chairing the joint Clean Energy Ministerial – International Energy Agency’s “Equality in Energy Transitions Initiative”. This initiative hosted an impactful event at the 14th Clean Energy Ministerial where NRCan launched the Equal by 30 Self-Assessment Tool to aid energy sector governments and organizations in evaluating progress on implementing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility practices and policies.

The Clean Energy Ministerial Empowering People Initiative (EPI) co-hosted an event with the Skills Council for Green Jobs of India at CEM14 to explore collaborative strategies for jobs and skills to advance just clean energy transitions. At COP 28, the EPI and LinkedIn co-hosted an event to highlight findings from LinkedIn’s data and what steps are necessary to accelerate skills and jobs attainment for just transitions.

NRCan also supported the advancement of the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act through the parliamentary process and established the Secretariat to support the implementation of the Act and lead the Government’s overall sustainable jobs approach. The Bill, enshrining principles for future work on sustainable jobs, also establishes a clear and durable governance structure for the purposes of designing, integrating and coordinating government action on sustainable jobs. This will be exemplified through the development and release of a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan in 2025, building off the release of an interim plan in 2023, which will ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. Through the Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables), NRCan continued to engage individual provinces and territories, in collaboration with Indigenous partners and with input from stakeholders, to identify and accelerate shared economic priorities for a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors.

In 2023-24, two Regional Table Collaboration Frameworks were released for implementation:

• The British Columbia Regional Energy and Resource Table: Framework for Collaboration on the Path to Net-Zero reflects a shared understanding of regional growth opportunities (critical minerals, electrification, clean fuels/hydrogen, forest sector, carbon management, and regulatory efficiency) and potential actions to advance them.
• The Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Energy and Resource Table – Framework for Collaboration on the Path to Net-Zero detailed 4 opportunity areas to help advance the province’s top economic priorities for a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors: critical minerals, wind and hydrogen, electrification, and carbon capture and storage.

Sustainable Forest Management

The Sustainable Forest Management Program advanced the collection, harmonization, and management of forest data to provide timely information on Canada’s forests through Canada’s Open Science Data Platform, including the Common Attribute Schema for Forest Resource Inventories. Ongoing National Forest Inventory data collection continued in partnership with provinces and territories and new statistical summary reports on current forest trends were produced. NRCan also enhanced forest mapping by updating the National Fire Behavior Prediction System to describe fuel types across Canada.

In 2023-24, 90 knowledge products were published to inform sustainable forest management practices and policies. Examples include the development of stand-level, satellite-based forest inventory systems for Canada and connecting forest soil properties with ecosystem services through digital soil maps.

NRCan programs and policies continued to apply GBA Plus to ensure that innovative solutions in support of the shift to a low carbon economy are inclusive. Here are some examples of programs that are making notable GBA Plus advancements under this core responsibility to address potential barriers, leading to more inclusive and equitable opportunities.

The Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative continues to ensure diversity on review committees, encourages the participation of youth and Elders in projects and includes translation of project materials as an eligible cost. By focusing on under-served remote communities which use on diesel for heat and power, it ensures that direct benefits impact a broad group of remote Indigenous communities across Canada, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis women, men and gender-diverse people.

The Cumulative Effects Program has advanced Indigenous collaboration and engagement in 8 Canadian Forest Service led projects that address assessment and restoration of cumulative effects on the forested land-based including caribou habitat. These projects aim to help improve the environmental performance of Canada’s resource sectors and minimize unintended impacts of natural resource development.

The Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative Program takes steps to remove barriers for applicants and increase accessibility by having a continuous intake call for proposals for Indigenous-led organizations. The program also provides support throughout the application process and lowered minimum contribution amounts. Once Indigenous-led projects are successful, and a funding agreement is signed, the program offers advance payments to ensure the long-term success of projects by removing financial barriers. The program also increased access and promoted equity for its funding through using a continuous intake model, as a separate stream to support EV infrastructure projects carried out by Indigenous organizations with increased funding and flexibilities.

Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program: To date, the program has approved 50 capacity building projects totaling $76.6 million in funding, including 27 projects with Indigenous organizations, totaling $32 million in program Funding, of which nearly $17 million is 2023-24 program funding. In addition, NRCan launched a funding call on Smart Grid Demonstrations and Regulatory Innovation, which included mandatory questions requiring applicants to detail how their project would support at least one of three specific Societal Project Benefits: affordability, access and participation.

NRCan has employed diverse outreach strategies with National Indigenous Organizations and Indigenous groups through initiatives like the Canada Greener Homes Grant which provided funding directly to First Nation and Métis governments to undertake community-scale retrofit projects. 32 agreements were signed with First Nation and Métis governments and organizations to renovate up to 6,107 homes. The Energy Advisor Recruitment, Training and Mentorship (EA RTM), program strengthened inclusivity and workforce diversity efforts in under-represented and under-served areas.

The Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities initiative backed community-led residential projects in Indigenous, rural, remote and under-resourced areas. An Indigenous organization led community outreach and evaluation of applications for the funds carved out for Indigenous participants (25%). To date, the program has awarded close to 20 agreements to Indigenous communities and organizations.

The development of the Canada Green Buildings Strategy (CGBS) prioritized inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility by using inclusive engagement measures, working with national and regional Indigenous organizations and governments, with consideration given to the realities in remote and northern regions, such as affordability, climate resilience and need for holistic housing related support.

NRCan’s activities under this Core Responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nation 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals:

For the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, Budget 2023 included a nearly $3 billion recapitalization of the program, bringing the total budget to approximately $4.5 billion, and allowing SREPs to continue its successful support of projects that are actively supplying clean, affordable, and reliable power to Canadian electrical grids (SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy).

NRCan continued to play a global leadership role to increase energy efficiency and accelerate the clean energy transition as a longstanding member of the International Energy Efficiency Hub (EE Hub). Canada participated in EE Hub’s policy exchange workshop focused on improving energy efficiency and curbing emissions from data centres, to encourage cross-pollination of public and private sector strategies and share policy actions and best practices. Canada also engaged in a discussion on national approaches and financial and regulatory incentives for deep energy retrofits to encourage aggregation of retrofit projects, organized by the EE Hub’s Energy Efficiency in Buildings Working Group (SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy).

NRCan supported the demonstration of innovative solutions to technical challenges and other barriers for the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and hydrogen refueling infrastructure in numerous applications, including in the urban environment, for fleets, and for public transit (SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production).

In support of decarbonization through nuclear energy, NRCan launched the Enabling Small Modular Reactors Program in February 2023 and concluded the application process with projects pertaining to SMR supply chain, SMR fuel supply and SMR waste. Funding was awarded to Canadian universities for research on SMR supply chains (including fuel) and SMR waste. Together with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, NRCan co-funded 15 projects in the amount of $12.7 million (SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

On July 24, 2023, the Government of Canada announced the publication of the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Self-Review Assessment Framework and Guidelines, delivering on the Government’s G7 and G20 commitments to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. As part of the Assessment Framework and Guidelines, the Government of Canada has developed a definition for both “fossil fuel subsidy”, and “inefficient”. Canada is the first country to release a rigorous analytical framework that includes a definition of “inefficient”. This will ensure that all subsidies that disproportionately benefit the fossil fuel sector or support fossil fuel consumption meet strict conditions (SDG 12 -Responsible Consumption and Production).

More information on NRCan’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

The Program of Applied Research on Climate Action and the Environment (PARCA), a joint initiative of NRCan, ECCC and PCO, has generated significant amounts of public opinion research (POR) data on the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of Canadians regarding climate change and the environment and related federal policies. This information has been shared with decision-makers and helped inform the rebranding of the Climate Action Incentive Payment, now known as the Canada Carbon Rebate.

In addition, PARCA is a mechanism to recruit behavioral scientists into the Departments. Over the last year, behavioral scientists at NRCan undertook a series of research projects to better understand how Canadians thought and felt about home energy retrofits as well as the adoption of zero-emission vehicles and heat pumps. The insights from this research will inform how NRCan programs communicate with Canadians, to support action by those who are interested in making changes that can reduce emissions related to their choices about home energy use and transportation.

PARCA conducted research to test the impact of applying behavioral insights to support Canadians to act on their desire to reduce emissions related to home energy use by adopting heat pumps. The Program also researched factors affecting the ability of Canadians to access grants to undertake home energy retrofits, generating recommendations that will inform the design of future programs.

• Description
• Progress on results
• Key risks
• Resources required to achieve results
• Related government-wide priorities
• Program inventory

In 2023-24, NRCan continued to attract national and international investment in Canada’s natural resources, increased access to new and priority markets, enhanced the competitiveness of Canada’s natural resource sectors, and promoted the resource economy to Canadians.

Canadian-wide efforts

Minister Wilkinson at the Energy and Mines Minister’s Conference in Québec City, September 2023.

NRCan engaged with provinces and territories from across Canada to maintain and expand collective efforts to manage natural resources sustainably. For example, NRCan co-hosted the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference with the Government of Québec, where federal, provincial and territorial ministers shared perspectives on the energy and mining sectors in their respective jurisdictions. Ministers discussed policy approaches to achieve a low-carbon economy, net-zero targets, and the need for cooperation in Canada’s energy and mining regulatory systems. This activity advanced dialogue on early and meaningful engagement with Indigenous groups and other communities and the role of regulatory systems to best foster clean and sustainable growth throughout the country.

Through the Regional Tables, NRCan worked closely with provinces and territories – in collaboration with Indigenous partners as well as business, labour and academia – to identify key economic priorities, align policies, regulatory processes and financial tools to accelerate the development of a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors.

NRCan also collaborated with agencies and departments to make regulatory and ministerial decisions on federally regulated market access projects. This includes supporting the Governor in Council decision, on the Canada Energy Regulator’s recommendation, that led to the timely approval of the NEBC Connector Project under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act. A growing number of major projects will advance Canada’s energy transition by expanding renewable energy or offsetting emissions through carbon capture. NRCan’s Major Projects Inventory provides a snapshot of major natural resource projects in Canada. As of May 2023, there were 493 major projects under construction or planned over the next ten years in Canada, which have a combined potential capital value of $572 billion.

Forest-Sector Competitiveness

NRCan is also funding programs that helped diversify forest products, markets and processes to support the competitiveness of Canada’s forest sector while ensuring the sustainable use of harvested wood.

NRCan’s Forest Sector Competitiveness Programs were allotted $368.4 million over three years in Budget 2023. This funding was granted to renew and update key programs, support research and development, strengthen ties with Indigenous and international leaders, enrich data collection processes, and continue key programs like the Forest Innovation Program (FIP). The FIP program supported early-stage innovation to accelerate growth in Canada’s forest sector bioeconomy, through investments in research, development and technology transfer.

Canada Germany Hydrogen Cooperation

NRCan advanced work under the Joint Declaration of Intent to establish a Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance, signed in 2022, including facilitating discussions between Canadian project proponents and potential German investors through the March 2024 Hydrogen and Ammonia Producer-Offtaker Conference in Hamburg. Work lead to a dedicated bilateral Canada window under Germany's H2Global hydrogen fund.

In 2023-2024, FIP led to:

• Nine lignin, paper board, tissue product and market acceptance standards;
• A transformative technology to reduce energy use by 15-30% in paper craft mills;
• Development of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, i.e. forever chemicals) free grease resistant paper and board for restaurant quick-service use (wrappers, bags, pizza boxes) as an alternative to plastic products; and
• Participation at the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers’ Innovation Committee to discuss wood fibre status across Canada.

Budget 2023 included funding of $3 million over three years for the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) to sponsor provincial, academic, NGO, private sector and First Nation-based proposals in enhancing forest inventory and ensuring a sustainable supply of wood fibre in Canada. The Global Forest Leadership program supported 23 projects through $9 million in grants and non-repayable contributions including among others those to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, the FAO Global Fire Management Hub, Forest and Climate Leader’s Partnership and the first tranche of 10 projects under the International Model Forest Network’s Climate initiative announced at the COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal. NRCAN expanded the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation Program, which supports Canada’s forest sector in becoming more competitive, resilient and environmentally sustainable through targeted investments that accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies and products. The program added decarbonization and process efficiency as new categories to accelerate the decarbonization of the forest sector. This program funded 6 capital investments projects in decarbonizing pulp and paper mills and development of new generation building products as well as funded four outreach projects to share best practices. Finally, NRCAN broadened the Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) program’s eligibility to include new types of innovative wood-based building systems and technologies to decarbonize the built environment and reduce Canada’s GHG emissions, including in support of Canada’s housing strategy. In 2023-24, GCWood signed contribution agreements for demonstration projects, supported three codes and standards projects and five capacity/education projects, and reached 5277 construction industry stakeholders and students through educational outreach materials. The Program also published 10 information products like technical reports and case studies to further equip stakeholders and updated the State of Mass Timber Interactive Map, which now contains information on 826 timber buildings and 19 manufacturing facilities.

Engaging Indigenous groups on forest sector economic development projects is central to meeting Canada’s commitment to reconciliation. The Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI) supported Indigenous-identified priorities in the forest sector, in alignment with the federal United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. In 2023-24, IFI had a total of 81 grants and contributions agreements under active management. Specifically, IFI awarded 33 new grants during 2023-24 with a combined value of $1.6 million. Of the 48 contributions agreements under management, 26 were completed in 2023-24, representing a combined multi-year NRCan investment totaling $5.25 million. IFI also collaborated with Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships (INRP) to implement 14 Indigenous forestry projects, totaling to nearly $4 million in funding until 2024-25.

International efforts

Emerging geopolitical tensions are creating supply chain challenges and other countries are looking to Canada as a recognized global leader for critical mineral mining, energy supply and innovation.

NRCan engaged with countries in Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom to advance investment and energy-related commitments through participation at the 28th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of the Parties (COP28), G7, G20, and the International Energy Agency (IEA). These collaborations with governments and industry partners positioned Canada as a leader in natural resource-related priorities, a trusted and reliable partner in energy security, and a competitive investment destination. NRCan endorsed and sought to advance the following programs, collaborations and concepts at international forums:

• The Global Pledge on Energy Efficiency and Renewables (COP28);
• The Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative and the Green Public Procurement Pledge (COP28);
• The COP28 Declaration of Intent on Mutual Recognition of Certification Schemes for Renewables and Low-carbon Hydrogen and Derivatives (COP28);
• The launch of the CEM Battery Storage Initiative to increase global battery storage deployment (COP28);
• A commitment to work towards tripling nuclear energy capacity by 2050 to reduce emissions (COP28);
• A partnership agreement between the International Hydrogen Trade Forum (CEM H2I) and the Hydrogen Council (COP28);
• Clean carbon management technologies (CEM and G20);
• The needs of Indigenous peoples in the energy transition (G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting);
• Economic opportunity and energy transition through the Minister’s dialogue, Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Economy for the Future (IEA);
• Canada’s climate technology transfer negotiations under UNFCCC, an international resourcing strategy, and year two of funding from Canada to the UN Climate Technology Center and Network; and
• Collaborations with Sweden, Germany, France, the UK, the European Union, and the U.S., including investment forums, and the signage of commercial-scale hydrogen trade between Canada and Germany.

Established following President Biden’s visit to Canada in March 2023, the Canada U.S. Energy Transformation Task Force (ETTF) has advanced shared priorities to deploy clean energy solutions at scale and support the development of critical mineral and civil nuclear supply chains. Lead by the Minister of Finance, NRCan has been a key contributor to the ETTF, providing advice, analysis and recommendations on priority activities and helping to advance outcomes in the nuclear energy and the critical minerals sectors. To date, the ETTF has accelerated several accomplishments in these sectors, including:

• Supporting the deployment of civil nuclear energy in Romania with collaborative financing, announced in September 2023;
• Convening a Canada-U.S. industry roundtable during the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention in March 2024;
• Preparatory work that led to Canada-U.S. co-investments targeting the development of strategic critical minerals deposits in Canada through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Production Act Investment Office and the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy.

Under Italy’s G7 Presidency, NRCan supported ambitious commitments through the Climate, Energy and Environment Ministerial (CEEM) to advance global action on the energy transition, energy security, and addressing the triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Notable energy-related headlines emerging from the CEEM include: a global goal for energy storage in the power sector, the first ever G7 timeline to phase out unabated coal in energy systems, an enhanced methane emissions mitigation target, the establishment of a G7 working group on fusion, and a commitment to transition away from Russian gas as soon as possible.

NRCan employees and CUSP participants at a CUSP event at Parliament in Ottawa, February 2024.

Similarly, rebuilding Ukraine’s energy systems remained a priority for NRCan and international bodies. NRCan donated energy equipment, supported the IEA’s energy system capacity-building initiatives, contributed $140,000 to analyse the security of power systems in Ukraine, and created reconstruction opportunities in tandem with officials from provincial governments, Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (Canadian Missions abroad), Export Development Canada, the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and various actors in the private sector. NRCan led a Canadian delegation to the Rebuild Ukraine Conference in Warsaw, Poland, where officials established contacts with Ukrainians and third-country partners to review opportunities for reconstruction.

As part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing support for Ukraine, NRCan implemented the Canada-Ukraine Science Partnership Initiative (CUSP) to connect 20 Ukrainian scientific professionals to employment opportunities in Canada to assist the rebuilding of Ukraine’s science capacity.

In addition, collaborations within the Indo-Pacific region are strengthening our supply chains and improving business relationships. A significant driver for NRCan in the Indo-Pacific region is Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. With the Strategy, NRCan built upon Canada’s global reputation as a leader in natural resource management in 2023-24, leading to:

• The Canada-Korea MOU, and subsequent Action Plan to support clean energy transition, security, and critical mineral supply chains, and the Canada-Korea Forum;
• The renewed Canada-Japan Energy Policy Dialogue and 2023-25 Action Plan;
• The Canada-Taiwan Framework on Supply Chains Resilience and an incoming Taiwanese delegation on hydrogen and ammonia;
• The creation of two overseas NRCan positions in Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea; and
• Funding of $150,000 towards the IEA’s Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore, to enable emerging energy markets in China, India and other Southeast Asian countries to collaborate with Canada’s IEA resources and share policy advice.

Establishing and strengthening bilateral connections in Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea were prioritized in 2023-24 to attract investment and enhance mutually beneficial relationships by promoting investment tax credits related to hydrogen, CCUS, clean electricity. NRCan also promoted decarbonization and Canada’s leadership in this process, the status of Asia-focused H2/ammonia exports and LNG projects, collaborated with key Canadian investment partners like Invest Alberta and the Canada-ASEAN Business Council, clean energy at the Canada-Vietnam Energy Transition Workshop, and financial support for the Canadian-Japan Chamber of Commerce Net-Zero Forum.

Nòkwewashk

To advance economic reconciliation, NRCan held engagement sessions across the country with Métis and First Nations peoples to inform the development of the National Benefits-Sharing Framework, a strategy to ensure Indigenous peoples equitably and consistently benefit from natural resource development on their lands. The Department met with more than 115 unique Indigenous organizations, including the three National Indigenous Organizations—the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to inform this work.

The Department also led efforts to launch in April 2024 the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program that will support up to $5 billion in loan guarantees to unlock access to capital for Indigenous communities, creating economic opportunities and build new tools to advance economic reconciliation in the natural resource sectors in Canada. Moving forward the Department will be responsible for intake and capacity building to assist eligible Indigenous applicants.

NRCan worked on the Indigenous Ministerial Arrangements Regulations (IMAR), which provides the possibility of having ministerial arrangements between the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Indigenous governing bodies. In 2023-24, NRCan established a dedicated IMAR team in preparation to support Phase 2 (Engagement and Regulatory Design) in 2024-25 with the goal of learning how and if Indigenous groups wish to be involved in subsequent phases of engagement and to gauge the level of interest in being authorized under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act.

The Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committees continued to advance Indigenous involvement in two major natural resource projects. In 2023-24, a process guide was drafted to support Indigenous-led Compliance Verification Activities for the Trans Mountain Pipeline with the Canada Energy Regulator. In addition, a series of workshops focused on developing Indigenous community capacity in emergency management were held along the Trans Mountain Pipeline route. NRCAN continued to play a role in the coordination of programs for TMX Phase III, in which Training for Indigenous Regulatory Involvement was developed based on community feedback.

In addition, the Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships (INRP) program held 57 meetings with Indigenous organizations to support proposal concepts and development. This program is delivered in concert with the Indigenous Partnership Office, an information hub that aims to increase participation of Indigenous communities and organizations in natural resource and energy infrastructure development projects.

As part of the Regional Tables, NRCan led engagements with 30 Indigenous partners and organizations to seek perspectives to incorporate into the Regional Tables process and has put in place over 20 contribution agreements to better understand Indigenous perspectives and priorities in the energy and natural resource space to accelerate shared economic priorities for a low carbon future.

Reconciliation is an ongoing, federal priority, and NRCan advanced Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the right of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) by creating conditions for deeper relationships with Indigenous partners across the country. Building on roundtables in 2022 and 2023 to support the UNDA Action Plan, an engagement session with 330+ participants from industry, Indigenous partners, academia, and federal and provincial and territorial governments was held on March 26, 2024, to share information and exchange ideas in relation to the implementation of the UNDA Action Plan. Furthermore, NRCan advocated for the inclusion of Shared Priority Action Plan Measure 12 within the UNDA Action Plan, to strengthen the Government of Canada’s commitment to implementing Calls for Justice 13.1 – 13.5. Through this Action Plan Measure, the federal government committed to increasing the safety and security of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people at all development stages of resource projects by through robust partnerships with Indigenous communities and organizations, federal departments, provinces and territories, and the resource development industry. In another action to support UNDA Action Plan Measure 12, NRCan worked with the Trans Mountain Indigenous and Advisory Monitoring Committee’s Socioeconomic Subcommittee to research and support temporary work camps. An engagement strategy was initiated by national Indigenous women’s organizations and other Indigenous partners.

Provision of Federal Leadership in the Minerals and Metals Sector

Progress on the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to build a green and digital economy continued to be strong. In 2023-24, all Strategy initiatives were launched, including the $1.5 billion Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, the Critical Minerals Geoscience and Data Initiative, the Global Partnerships Initiative, the Critical Minerals Research, Demonstration and Deployment program, and dedicated critical minerals funding streams under the Strategic Innovation Fund. This strategy aims to supply the green and digital economy, and improve critical minerals supply chain resiliency. It was produced in collaboration with provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments, along with industry and trading partners, to position Canada as a supplier of choice for critical minerals and materials. These initiatives were complemented by engagements with industry and other Canadian and international stakeholders to support proposals, regulations, program supports, tax incentives, sustainability and security in critical mineral supply chains. In fact, NRCan’s Critical Minerals Centre of Excellence Concierge Service provided 150+ stakeholders with information about funding opportunities, and chaired the Science Policy Table to promote knowledge-sharing and science-policy integration across federal laboratories, departments and agencies.

NRCan also collaborated with other federal departments and provincial and territorial governments to implement actions under the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan. This included:

• Hosting a virtual Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Workshop in the fall of 2023 to encourage collaboration between governments, industry and academia on the remediation of orphaned and abandoned mine sites across Canada;
• Launching a series of webinars on the mining cycle for Indigenous economic development officers, land managers, and community leadership in Ontario, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut;
• In collaboration with Mining Shared Value and Mokwateh, developing a Local Procurement Checklist to foster greater procurement opportunities for local and Indigenous suppliers; and,
• Launching a social media campaign on mining and an on-line mineral literacy hub, to attract diverse talent in the mining sector and improve general mineral literacy.

Finally, NRCan advanced transparency and promoted good governance in the mining, oil and gas sectors through the administration of the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act, the Export and Import of Rough Diamonds Act and leadership as Chair of the Validation Committee at the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. During the last fiscal year, over 1400 Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act report submissions were validated through the NRCan eServices Portal. Of these submissions, 561 unique reports were received, disclosing over $244 billion in payments to nearly 1300 payees in 107 countries around the world. Based on this work, NRCan presented at events including the Canada Open Data Summit and Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada 2024 Sustainability Program. Related to the Export and Import of Rough Diamonds Act, NRCan issued 149 Canadian Kimberley Process Certificates for the export of 16 million carats of rough diamonds valued at $2.1 billion.

Energy Safety and Security, and Petroleum Resources

NRCan engaged on energy security, affordability and the transition to clean energy with energy ministers, Indigenous peoples and international bodies, at forums including APEC, IEA and G20. Investment into Canada’s clean energy and critical minerals were promoted to finance sectors in France, the UK, Germany and Japan, and NRCan also supported Canada’s participation at the IEA’s Task Force on Gas Market Monitoring and Supply Security, created to help stabilize European natural gas markets amid Russia’s natural gas export curtailment. As Chair of this task force, NRCan enabled discussions on energy security urgencies and longer-term energy transition solutions in collaboration with the IEA Task Force on Gas and Clean Fuels Market Monitoring and Supply Security. Other notable engagements include the 24th World Petroleum Congress – Energy Minister’s Summit, CERAWeek, Canada-Korea Energy Forum, and the Canada-Germany Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee meeting. As well, NRCan held discussions with Pathways Alliance and the Government of Alberta throughout the year, regarding the importance of meaningful Indigenous engagement and participation and the constitutional obligations of the federal and provincial Crowns.

In terms of engagement, NRCan also participated in IEA working groups to monitor developments in the oil market and to improve emergency preparedness in response to a global oil supply shock, which last occurred in 2022 following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. As part of this work, NRCan participated in an emergency response and energy policy review of the United States.

NRCan continued to work closely with the Canada Energy Regulator to support the development and review of regulations such as the Designated Officer Regulations, and the export and import Regulatory Framework.

In addition, the Frontier and Offshore Regulatory Renewal Initiative Framework Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. These regulations modernized and amalgamated five existing regulations that pertain to offshore oil and gas safety and environmental protection in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada-Nova Scotia offshore areas. To support the transition towards producing, transporting, and using cleaner fuels, NRCan and Transport Canada collaborated with Alberta and British-Columbia to support progress on transportation by rail and exportation of ammonia from Canada’s west coast. Finally, NRCan supported Agriculture Canada to maintain food and fertilizer security by attending stakeholders' meetings and providing guidance related to natural gas that could be leveraged to support fertilizer production.

The Department continued to explore tangible options to advancing the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada by supporting the development of over 22 codes and standards and publishing a progress report update on Canada’s Hydrogen Strategy that highlighted progress on recommendations for low-carbon hydrogen projects representing $100 billion in investments. NRCan also advanced the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance to accelerate hydrogen trade by signing a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a program for a dedicated Bilateral Window through Germany’s H2Global Foundation which is a first step in establishing a transatlantic hydrogen trade corridor. Moreover, Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Korea and updated its action plan with Japan to help support hydrogen trade with Asia.

Other achievements include international development assistance around sustainable natural resource management, such as the establishment of the NRCan Secretariat and initiating program delivery of NRCan's Technical Assistance Partnership ($4.4 million over 5 years), which funds government-to-government technical assistance projects with developing countries under Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.

NRCan continued to ensure Canadians and export markets can access reliable and affordable energy, while preserving critical supply chains. For example, Canada worked closely with the provinces and the oil and gas industry to defend Canada’s rights under the 1977 Transit Pipelines Treaty and submissions to US courts to keep the Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline safely operating, a vital energy supply and economic driver for the Great Lakes region on both sides of the border. Similarly, NRCan also engaged with implicated agencies and departments to ensure ministerial decisions on federally- regulated market access projects were processed in a timely manner and reflected the considerations of decision-makers. For instance, on December 21, 2023, the government approved the $350 million NEBC Connector pipeline project to improve transportation options for the export of Natural Gas Liquids. Assessing Canada’s energy infrastructure also involves reviewing energy security and affordability for consumers and industry – NRCan monitored critical oil and gas infrastructure for potential disruptions to fuel supply caused by natural disasters, accidents, disease or criminal activity.

Youth Employment and Skills Strategy - Science and Technology Internship Program - Green Jobs

In 2023-24, the Science and Technology Internship Program - Green Jobs invested $15.5 million and created 653 green jobs and training opportunities for youth ages 15 to 30 in the natural resources sector, exceeding the target of 480. Internships and training opportunities took place in all provinces and territories. With 78% of placements in the clean technology sector and 45% with small and medium-sized enterprises, the program is supporting employers in the natural resources sector. With 86% of participants employed or self-employed after participating in the program, and 5% returning to school, the program supports labour market attachment of youth. The program surpassed its ambitious employment equity targets, with 83% of participants from at least one employment equity group, including 52% women, 34% Indigenous youth, 31% racialized youth, and 10% youth with disabilities. Additionally, 27% of participants lived in northern, rural and remote communities.

Established in 2022, Natural Resources Canada’s Youth Council connects youth aged 18-30 from across Canada to federal decision makers to discuss Canada’s most pressing climate and natural resource issues. NRCan’s inaugural Youth Council presented a series of policy recommendations on Indigenous partnerships, tree planting, sustainable jobs, zero-emissions vehicles, and green buildings to the Minister and other NRCan officials in November 2023. For those recommendations under the department’s mandate, NRCan is supportive and in many cases, work is already underway. A summary of these recommendations and NRCan’s response can be found on the NRCan Youth Council website.

NRCan applied GBA Plus to ensure that Canada’s globally competitive Natural Resource sectors continued to take initiative to remove barriers for underrepresented and marginalized communities. These are some examples of how GBA Plus was applied.

In 2023-24, the Indigenous Forestry Initiative awarded 33 grants to Indigenous groups holding collective Indigenous rights (i.e. Indigenous governments), for whom no diversity plans are required. The IFI program also includes diversity indicators in project reporting requirements for every contribution agreement, and to the extent possible from grant recipients (who have no reporting obligations). For the last complete reporting year, recipients for 22 projects completed in 2022-23 reported the creation of 74 jobs, of which 11% identified as Indigenous, 9% as women, and 35% as youth. 2 projects were reported as being led by women, and 11 reported to have included female participants: collectively totaling 135 participants. 14 projects reported engaging with Indigenous participants, collectively totaling 929 participants. 34 Indigenous communities and 14 Indigenous organizations were also noted to have participated.

The Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships (INRP) program supported and increased the economic participation of Indigenous communities and organizations in the development of natural resource projects. It expended the 2023-2024 fiscal year allocated funds of $16 million. Additional funding of $1.5 million was provided to INRP to support project activities in forestry, clean fuels, and energy. Total expenditures for 2023-2024 was $17.5 million through 23 agreements of which 19 support the participation for underrepresented groups.

In 2023-24, the Science and Technology Internship Program – Green Jobs invested $15.5 million and created 653 green jobs and training opportunities for youth ages 15 to 30 in the natural resources sector, exceeding the target of 480. In 2023-24, 83% of participants were from at least one employment equity group, (surpassing its target of 60%), including, 52% women, 34% Indigenous youth, 31% racialized youth, and 10% youth with disabilities. Additionally, 27% of participants lived in northern, rural, and remote communities. The program receives feedback from youth participants through the completion of a post-placement survey. Additionally, the program hosted engagement with youth at the Leading Change Forum (part of GLOBE 2024) and heard directly from youth about their experiences in the workplace and recommendations for the program.

The International Model Forest Network’s initiative “RESTAURacción: “Wildfire Restoration in Latin America” concluded its final fiscal year. Between 2020 and 2024, RESTAURacción has delivered nearly $8million as part of the G7’s response to widespread wildland fires that occurred in Latin America, the Government of Canada and the IMFN successfully implemented projects that helped: advance women’s leadership in post-fire and degraded landscape ecosystem restoration; plan and cost post-fire restoration; and promote longer-term investments in sustainable land use. An overview of some of the program’s achievements across the four years by ten Model Forest partners across seven countries in Latin America includes: over 3000 hectares under the process of forest landscape restoration; 261 long-term monitoring plots created; over 7,000 people trained (50.8% were women and girls); and 86 future restoration leaders provided with a scholarship, bursary or awards to pursue research related to forest landscape restoration in degraded areas - 69 % of the scholarship holders are women.

The IMFN Climate initiative is a $18.7 million investment from the Government of Canada, sourced from Canada’s global climate finance pledge and delivered under Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program, designed to scale up forest and landscape restoration, enable inclusive landscape governance and equip the next generation of forest leaders to address the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Projects are being implemented in official development assistance (ODA)-eligible countries. From January to March 2024, among a longer list of achievements, over 800 people were trained (58% of whom were women or girls) and 47 scholarships were awarded to the next generation of forest leaders (55% of whom were women or girls).

NRCan’s activities under this Core Responsibility support Canada’s efforts to address the United Nation 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals:

NRCan continued its participation in relevant international organizations, such as International Energy Agency – Renewable Energy Working Party (REWP), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Expert Group on New and Renewable Energy Technologies (EGNRET) and the Clean Energy Ministerial. NRCan also continued to lead Canada’s representation in the International Renewable Energy Agency, including involvement in the Collaborative Frameworks, the General Assembly and the Council meetings, and work advancing the Global Platform for Transitioning Remote Communities to Renewable Energy which was launched at COP26 (SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals).

All the initiatives under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy have launched, including work to advance sustainable and innovative practices across the full critical minerals value chain to minimize the environmental impact of increased mining and industrial development (e.g., research, development and deployment of new technologies; work to advance the circular economy and recycling; etc.) (SDG 12- Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13 – Climate Action).

In 2023-24, NRCan’s Science & Technology Internship Program – Green Jobs invested $15.5 million and created 653 green jobs and training opportunities for youth ages 15 to 30 in the natural resources sector, exceeding the target of 480 (SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth).

In February 2024, NRCan published the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area Petroleum Operations Framework Regulations (SOR/2024-25) and the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Operations Framework Regulations (SOR/2024-26). NRCan was the project lead for these regulations on behalf of the federal government, with the provincial governments of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador (SDG 9- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

In accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UN Declaration Act), NRCan conducted UN Declaration analyses in the development of various initiatives, including Access to Capital, NEBC Connector, Canada Green Buildings Strategy, and Energy Efficiency Act Amendments^{Footnote 30}. NRCan is leading or co-leading on four measures in the Shared Priorities chapter of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan published in June 2023 (Section 6^{Footnote 31} of the UN Declaration Act):

• Measure 12 on safe and secure resource development for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people;
• Measure 32 on development of guidance for engaging with Indigenous Peoples on natural resources projects to obtain free, prior and informed consent;
• Measure 33 on development and implementation of actions to increase the economic participation of Indigenous Peoples and their communities in natural resource development; and
• Measure 34 on the enhancement of Indigenous Peoples’ participation in decision-making processes related to projects and other matters that are currently regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator (SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities).

More information on NRCan’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our 2023-27 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

NRCan leveraged innovative and behavioral science approaches to enhance security, particularly in preventing phishing attacks by conducting real-time simulations and interactive training sessions that mimic sophisticated phishing attempts, helping users recognize and respond to threats more effectively. By analyzing user behavior and tailoring training based on individual risk profiles, NRCan created personalized security plans that address specific vulnerabilities. Additionally, NRCan used psychological principles to design more intuitive security interfaces and prompt timely security behaviors, such as cautionary alerts that discourage risky actions like clicking on suspicious links. This approach not only educated users but also reinforced secure habits through continuous engagement and feedback.

In 2023-24, the Canadian Forestry Service experimented with climate change narratives using an Indigenous lens. This included working with Indigenous leaders and experts to develop a presentation on climate change narratives, and to develop a seed collection and preservation toolkit for communities. Furthermore, this work aligned with the International Panel on Climate Change’s work on storylines as an important social science component of climate communication.

• Description
• Progress on results
• Resources required to achieve results
• Contracts awarded to Indigenous business

• Spending
• Funding
• Financial statements highlights
• Human resources

The budgetary performance summary in table 8 provides for the following:

• Main Estimates for 2023-24;
• Total authorities available for use in 2023-24, reflects the authorities received including in-year funding; and
• Actual expenditures from 2021-22 to 2023-24, as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada.

Actual spending for 2022-23 was $2.54 billion, a year-over-year increase of $419 million (20%) from 2021-22 actual spending. This increase is mainly due to:

• incremental spending of $329 million in grants and contributions for programs aimed at improving efficiency in homes, planting 2 billion trees by 2031, providing smart renewable energy and electrical grid modernization projects, creating a more competitive and resilient forest sector and deployment of electric vehicle (EV) chargers and hydrogen refuelling stations across Canada.
• increased spending of $138 million in operating for programs supporting Canadians’ ability to better plan and prepare for future floods, capturing carbon dioxide to be recycled for further usage or stored safely underground, securing the critical minerals required to transition to a low-carbon economy, recognizing and honouring the exceptional service of Atomic Workers, and helping Canadians make their homes more energy-efficient.

These increases in spending were offset by reduced spending due to:

• sunset of programs such as Impact Canada, Electric Vehicle & Alternate Infrastructure Deployment and Clean Technology – Clean Growth.
• reduced funding profile for NRCan’s Science and Technology Internship Program, Spruce Budworm Early Intervention and Emissions Reduction Fund.

Actual spending for 2023-24 was $3,467 million, a year-over-year increase of $926 million (36%) from 2022-23 actual spending. This increase is mainly due to:

• Incremental spending of $723 million in grants and contributions for programs aimed at Green Homes (including Oil to Heat Pumps), Clean Fuels Fund (CFF), Smart Renewable Electrification Pathways (SREP), Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), 2 Billion Trees (2BT) and Electricity Pre-Development Program. These programs experience increased spending as they mature in the program lifecycle, more contributions agreements are signed and as applicants continue to seek reimbursement for eligible expenses.
• Increase of $182 million in Statutory Vote, specifically attributed to the Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Resource Revenue Fund. The fund recorded an increase in royalty payments, as well as increased forfeitures of security deposits for exploration and drilling activities. NRCAN serves as an intermediary, facilitating the flow through of applicable funds to the Province of Newfoundland.

These increases in spending were partially offset by reduced spending due to:

• sunset of programs such as Emissions Reduction Fund, Smart Grid, Expanding Market Opportunities and Mountain Pine Beetle.
• reduced funding profile for NRCan’s Investment in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) Program, Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee (IAMC), Green Infrastructure and Green Construction through Wood (GC Wood).

The decrease of $538 million between planned spending of $5,097 million and total authorities of $4,559 million in 2023-24 is primarily attributed to the $1.1 billion decrease tied to the Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Resource Revenue Fund. Statutory payment obligations under these accords tend to fluctuate significantly as they are largely driven by oil and gas prices, production levels and anticipated corporate income taxes related to offshore operations.

This decrease is partially offset by in-year funding received for Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, Oil to Heat Pump, Sustainable Advancement of Canada's Forest Economy suite of programs, Wildland Fire Resilient Futures Initiative, as well as several other programs.

Of the $4,559 million total authorities in 2023-24, NRCan spent $3,467 million. The $1,092 million in unspent funding is driven by B2023 Realigning Previously Announced Spending, Budget 2024 Reprofile and Refocusing Government Spending exercises. Additionally, several programs encountered challenges throughout the fiscal year, mostly attributable to ongoing disruption in downstream supply chain, impacting labour and infrastructure requirements, lower than expected uptake by Provinces and Territories, and demand driven nature of some projects which affects timing of reimbursement request from applicant. To mitigate the impact on program delivery, a significant amount of the unspent funding was reprofiled or carried forward into future years to ensure that funding will continue to be available to support the projects.

More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

The overall decrease of $1.7 billion from 2024-25 to 2026-27 is mainly due to reduction in planned spending for programs such as SREP, Greener Homes, Off-Diesel and Statutory Offshore Payments, as well as the sunsetting of major programs such as Clean Fuels Fund, Sustainable Advancement of Canada’s Forest Economy, Electricity PreDevelopment), and Green Freight.

This decrease is partially offset by an increase in funding for the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, which aims to support clean energy and electrification initiatives as well as transportation and infrastructure projects that will enable the sustainable development and expansion of critical minerals in Canada.

More detailed financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Information on the alignment of NRCan’s spending with Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available on GC InfoBase.

Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2021-22 to 2026-27.

Planned spending in Voted authorities from 2024-25 to 2026-27 is declining, mainly due to sunsetting of major initiatives such as the Canada Greener Homes initiative, Smart Renewal Electrification Projects (SREP), Clean Fuels Fund, Electricity Predevelopment Program, Investments in Forest Industry Transformation and Green Freight. Sunsetting programs could be renewed pending future budgetary decisions. Outcomes of such decisions will be reflected in the Department’s future budget exercises and Estimates documents.

Planned spending in Statutory authorities shows a variation from 2024-25 to 2026-27 mainly due to the Atlantic Offshore Accounts. Statutory payment obligations under these accords are largely driven by oil and gas prices, production levels and anticipated corporate income taxes related to offshore operations. The planned spending is based on the Department's economic modeling forecasts prepared in the fall of 2023.

For further information on NRCan’s departmental voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada.

For 2021-22 and 2022-23, the figures represent the FTEs as reported in the Departmental Results Report while 2023-24 represents the utilized FTEs at year-end.

The increase in FTEs from 2021-22 to 2022-23 is due mostly to programs aimed at accelerating the development and adoption of clean technology and transition to net-zero by 2050. These include improving efficiency in homes, deploying EV chargers and hydrogen refuelling stations, investing in technology to capture carbon for future use or to safely store, planting 2 billion trees, supporting companies to produce clean fuels and funding for remote Indigenous communities to reduce diesel consumption for heat and power.

Similarly, increase from 2022-23 to 2023-24 is driven by programs mentioned below aimed at ensuring that Canada is well positioned to transition to a greener economy while ensuring that communities benefit from all natural resource projects.

These programs include, the advancement of Canada’s global leadership in the mining and processing of critical minerals (Critical Minerals), supporting energy research development and demonstration (Energy Innovation Program), ensuring major resource projects are assessed per environmental, social, economic and health effects (Impact Assessment), inter-governmental collaboration on sustainable jobs (Regional Energy Tables) and assuring that Indigenous Peoples benefit from natural resource development (National Benefits Sharing Framework).

Additionally, there was an increase in internal services to support the expansion of programs and associated activities.

For 2024-25 to 2026-27, the figures represent total Planned FTEs to support NRCan approved program activities.

Decrease from 2024-25 to 2026-27 is mostly driven by a combination of sunsetting programs and reduction in funding profiles of major initiatives.

As other new initiatives are undertaken or existing programs are renewed, plans for future FTE requirements will be adjusted accordingly.

Appropriate minister: The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.

Ministerial portfolio:

• Atomic Energy of Canada Limited;
• Canada Energy Regulator;
• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission;
• Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board;
• Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board;
• Northern Pipeline Agency; and,
• Energy Supplies Allocation Board.

Enabling instrument(s):

• Department of Natural Resources Act;
• Resources and Technical Surveys Act;
• Forestry Act, and
• Energy Efficiency Act (Section 21).

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1994

Mailing address:

Natural Resources Canada
580 Booth Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0E4
Canada

Email: media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Website(s): https://natural-resources.canada.ca/home

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical tool used to assess support the development of responsive and inclusive how different groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and policies, programs, and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2023–24 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the November 23, 2021, Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fight harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation; and fighting for a secure, just and equitable world.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an department, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to an department, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single department, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the department’s influence.

Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)

For the purpose of the Directive on the Management of Procurement Appendix E: Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses and the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses, a department that meets the definition and requirements as defined by the Indigenous Business Directory.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.