National Renewable Energy Strategy Act

This bill would require the federal Minister of Natural Resources, working with provincial energy officials and Indigenous governing bodies, to create and carry out a national strategy aiming for 100% of Canada's electricity to come from renewable sources (like solar, wind, tidal, and biomass) by December 31, 2030. The strategy must also include measures to ensure twice as many renewable energy projects start each year compared to non-renewable ones, boost research and development funding for renewable technologies, encourage federal-provincial cooperation on new large-scale public electric utilities, and support jobs and economic growth in the renewable energy sector.

Within one year of the law taking effect, the Minister and the Minister of Finance must also create financial incentives to encourage investment in renewable energy projects and to help homeowners and businesses upgrade their properties with renewable energy technology. These incentives would only cover start-up costs for new projects, not ongoing operating expenses.

The bill also sets up reporting requirements: within two years, the Minister must table a report in Parliament laying out the national strategy and publish it online shortly after. Then, starting three years after that report and every three years afterward, the Minister must produce and table follow-up reports assessing how well the strategy is working, including conclusions and recommendations.

This bill requires the Minister of Natural Resources to develop and implement a national strategy aiming for 100% renewable electricity generation in Canada by December 31, 2030, and to design financial incentives to support that goal.

• Who holds the power — the Minister of Natural Resources, in consultation with provincial government representatives responsible for energy and with Indigenous governing bodies, must develop and implement the national strategy; the content and specific measures within the strategy are left to the Minister's discretion beyond the objectives listed.
• Incentive design — the Minister, together with the Minister of Finance, must create incentives (within one year of the Act coming into force) to encourage renewable energy projects and property retrofits; the bill does not specify the form, amount, or funding source of these incentives, leaving those details to be determined later.
• Objectives without enforcement mechanism — the strategy must include measures aimed at objectives such as twice as many renewable versus non-renewable project start-ups per year, increased research investment, and federal-provincial cooperation on large-scale public utilities, but the bill sets no penalties or consequences if these objectives or the 2030 target are not met.
• Obligations on private parties — none stated; the Act creates no direct duties, prohibitions, or penalties for individuals, homeowners, or businesses.
• Oversight — the Minister must table a report setting out the strategy in both Houses of Parliament within two years and publish it online within 10 days of tabling; a follow-up effectiveness report is required three years later and every three years after that, but these reports are tabled without a required vote and the Act contains no sunset clause.