The regulations will strengthen our economy and save households money, said the Foundation

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 12, 2026 /CNW/ -- UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES: From November 16 to 19, the David Suzuki Foundation, represented by Ecojustice lawyers, will intervene before the Alberta Court of Appeal to defend the constitutionality of the federal Clean Electricity Regulations.

The Clean Electricity Regulations, which were finalized in December 2024, are a crucial tool for cutting electricity sector greenhouse gas emissions and saving households money on their energy bills across Canada. Alberta is challenging the constitutionality of the regulations, arguing they do not fall within Canada's criminal law power.

The case comes at a time when the federal government is dismantling a broad sweep of climate and environmental policies, and approved its very first national interest project through Alberta's Pacific Link pipeline — which will lock Canada into millions of tonnes of additional emissions per year. In the 2025 Alberta-Canada Memorandum of Understanding on energy, the federal government agreed to put the Clean Electricity Regulations in abeyance for Alberta and later committed to weakening the Clean Electricity Regulations to allow for more natural gas generation in the "Powering Canada Strong" electrification strategy. If the Clean Electricity Regulations are repealed or weakened, not only will Canada's commitment to reach net-zero by 2050 become much more challenging, but communities will pay the price through their health and wallets, said the Foundation.

"We need government to understand that these regulations aren't just a critical tool for climate action," said Stephen Thomas, clean electricity manager at the David Suzuki Foundation. "Moving away from fossil fuels and toward clean electricity can save households money, create thousands of good unions jobs, respect Indigenous rights and leadership, and strengthen our economy. Canada is already being left behind by the rest of the developed world and needs to act now — the sooner we invest in clean electrification, the sooner everyone in Canada feels the benefits."    

"Prime Minister Carney has been clear he supports the electrification of transport, heating and industry as the future for Canada. The Clean Electricity Regulations are anti-pollution law, the kind of federal law that courts have endorsed and Canadians have supported for decades. By ensuring electrification is clean, they protect the health of Canadians and our environment from worsening climate impacts. The Regulations complement other, investment-focused action and we hope the Carney government will come to realize this," said Charlie Hatt, climate director for Ecojustice.

The Foundation argues that the future of Canada's electricity grid is powered by renewables, not fossil fuels. "Clean electricity is faster and cheaper to build; it's better for the planet and our health, creates good and secure jobs, protects people from oil price volatility and saves people money on energy bills," said Thomas.

SOURCE David Suzuki Foundation