Prospects for public participation in energy transitions in Canada: Householders' interests in hosting, coordinating, and trading electricity at the local level

Journal article

In Canada, climate change and the rising cost of fossil fuel‐based energy are driving a transition to cleaner local energy systems—combining renewable energy, storage, and smart devices. While these technologies are important, without public support and participation, they will not ensure a just and sustainable transition. In this context, we analyze data from a nationally representative survey (n = 941) of Canadians’ views towards local energy system change, with a focus on three actions (hosting generation, agreeing to external control, and trading electricity) that will be vital. We are interested in overall trends across Canada, though given regional differences and the need to understand the people likely to support these actions, we utilize geographic, socio‐demographic, and political variables to explore variations. In this, four key distinctions were found: females were more likely to support local generation; Quebec residents were more likely to consider coordination by letting an authority take control of their household's appliances; younger Canadians were more interested in all actions; and there was a left‐right divide along political lines, with those supporting left‐leaning parties being more interested in energy management. We locate these findings within broader discussions and close our article with recommendations for further research and policy.

Authors: Rowlands, IH; Walker, C; Devine‐Wright, P; Wilson, C; Fiander, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Canadian Geographies
• Volume: 69
• Issue: 4
• Article number: e70030
• Publication date: 2025-10-31
• Acceptance date: 2025-07-06
• DOI: 10.1111/cag.70030
• EISSN: 1541-0064
• ISSN: 0008-3658
• Language: English
• Keywords: Canada; transitions énergétiques; énergie domestique; public opinion; opinion publique; household energy; energy transitions