Canada is no energy superpower

And pretending otherwise is a fool’s game

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Canada is not an energy superpower. Not even close.

The term has become a convenient political crutch, used as a slogan to signal ambition without doing the hard work of building a unified national strategy. It’s a hollow label, unsupported by clarity, coherence, or consensus.

But what does an energy superpower actually mean?

An energy superpower is a nation that not only exploits vast energy resources but also possesses the infrastructure, political unity, and global influence to shape international energy markets.

Right now, Canada has none of these. Instead, we are mired in political disarray, inconsistent energy policies, and missed opportunities.

This misleading label is further complicated by Canada’s political fragmentation. Provincial policies are often at odds with one another, preventing any coherent national energy strategy. Alberta’s economy remains heavily reliant on oil and gas, yet its policies clash with those of Ottawa, which is pushing for a green transition. Meanwhile, Quebec has imposed a complete ban on new oil and gas development, deepening the divide.

This disunity makes it impossible to speak of Canada as an energy superpower.

How can we be a superpower when we can’t even agree on our own energy future? The result is a country torn between expanding fossil fuel production and pivoting to renewable energy, but with no clear path forward on either front.

Moreover, the term energy superpower is also misleading because it suggests that Canada is already a leader in the global energy market. But we are not. We lack the internal coherence and strategic focus necessary to claim this title.

Rather than being based on a solid, coherent energy strategy, the superpower narrative is little more than wishful thinking—a convenient narrative used by politicians to appeal to certain voter bases, but without addressing the hard realities that true energy leadership requires.

These political rifts and contradictions translate directly into real-world consequences.

Canada has failed to build the infrastructure needed to efficiently move resources. Take, for example, the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has faced years of delays and massive cost overruns, and the stalled East Coast LNG projects. These serve as prime examples of our inability to capitalize on our energy potential.

The Trans Mountain expansion was initially pegged at $7.4 billion, but it ballooned to over $34 billion by 2023, with no guarantee that the government will recoup that investment. Meanwhile, critical LNG export projects in Eastern Canada remain stuck in regulatory limbo, with no consensus between provinces or between the provinces and the federal government. These delays and cost overruns show that, despite having some of the world’s largest oil reserves, Canada has been unable to turn its potential into action.

Even the energy sector itself is deeply fragmented. Industry groups such as the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Clean Energy Canada, and the Transition Accelerator all propose vastly different roadmaps for the country’s energy future. Some are focused on expanding oil sands and pipelines, while others push for a transition to clean energy. But there is no unified national strategy, and this lack of coordination, coupled with the failure to reconcile these conflicting viewpoints, undermines any claim that Canada is on track to become an energy superpower.

If we continue down this path, the superpower narrative will not unite the country. It will fracture it further, reinforcing existing polarization and distracting us from the real work that needs to be done.

Instead of embracing a vague label of “superpower,” Canada needs to prioritize real, substantive action: infrastructure development, clear policy frameworks, and consensus-building among provinces and stakeholders.

For Canada to become a true energy superpower, we need to invest in projects that support long-term energy security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. This means not just exploiting resources, but doing so with the necessary infrastructure to transport and refine them efficiently.

We also need to build a national consensus that recognizes the importance of all energy sources—fossil fuels, renewables, and critical minerals—and how they can work together to support both domestic needs and international export markets.

Canada must stop using the energy superpower label until we’ve demonstrated the political coherence and infrastructure needed to back it up. Until then, we need to focus on building consensus and strategy for the future, so that when we do claim the title, it will be earned, not merely wished for.

Bill Whitelaw is a director and advisor to many industry boards, including the Canadian Society for Evolving Energy, which he chairs. He speaks and comments frequently on the subjects of social licence, innovation and technology, and energy supply networks.