Solar electricity is the smart choice to power Canada’s future. The time is right. Public support for clean, renewable and sustainable forms of energy is strong and increasing. There is also growing interest among Canadians to become “prosumers” - people who want options to both produce and consume electricity. This coincides with a dynamic and growing solar electricity industry both in Canada and globally.

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In Canada, growth in the solar electricity sector is rapid. In 2013, installations of solar electricity systems grew by nearly 60% over the previous year, and the total value of the industry sales in 2013 was nearly $1.5 billion, up from just over $1 billion in 2012.2 The majority of Canada’s growth is centered in Ontario, where more than 99% of Canada’s solar electricity is generated. Ontario has developed a globally recognized solar market sector. While it has experienced challenges, it is today one of the top 20 solar electricity markets in the world, based on solar installed capacity

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In Ontario, the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (GEGEA) passed in 2009 signaled an important commitment by the province to “remove barriers and promote opportunities for renewable projects, thus creating a green economy”3 . As a result, the province has gone from having virtually zero to almost 2 GW of installed solar electricity capacity.

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​The CanSIA Roadmap 2020 plots a confident course for success - removing barriers and maximizing opportunities to ensure solar electricity takes its rightful place in Canada’s energy mix.

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