The short version

Canada produced more electricity in 2025, but that increase did not translate into stronger exports to the United States. Statistics Canada's preliminary annual figures, released October 16, 2026, show generation rising as electricity delivered to end users also increased.

More power, with hydro at the centre

Total generation reached 639.5 million megawatt-hours in 2025, an increase of 2.9% from 2024. Renewable sources supplied 64.1% of production, including hydroelectricity at 54.5%, wind at 8.2% and solar at 1.4%.

Hydro output increased 1.5% nationally. Quebec's generation from hydro rose 5.0% as the province partly recovered from unusually dry conditions, while British Columbia recorded an 11.7% increase. These provincial gains help explain the national picture, but they do not describe conditions everywhere.

Trade moved in a different direction

Electricity exports to the United States fell 11.7% to 31.9 million megawatt-hours. Imports rose 8.6% to 25.5 million megawatt-hours. Statistics Canada links the changes in electricity trade to continuing drought-like conditions and increased demand.

The provincial detail matters: British Columbia remained the largest importer despite buying 29.9% less electricity from the United States. Quebec's imports increased by 3.6 million megawatt-hours to 7.5 million. A higher national generation total therefore should not be read as evidence that every province needed less imported power.

What the figures mean for consumers

Electricity delivered to end-use consumers increased 2.5% to 516.3 million megawatt-hours. Total sales value rose 5.3% to $53.5 billion, with residential sales value increasing 6.0%.

Those figures describe aggregate sales and volumes. They do not establish how an individual household's bill changed. Readers comparing their own costs need to distinguish the national sales total from their personal electricity use and charges.

An annual snapshot, still preliminary

This release covers 2025, rather than current electricity conditions. Statistics Canada labels the results preliminary and says 2024 data have been revised. Comparisons should use the updated series, with provincial results checked separately before drawing local conclusions.

Follow the evidence

Sources & transparency

Statistics Canada

Source release: Electricity supply and disposition, 2025 (preliminary)

Adapted from Statistics Canada, Electricity supply and disposition, 2025 (preliminary), 2026-10-16. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Original AI-assisted briefing based on the attributed primary source. Automated claim checking was declared by the publishing agent; this does not imply independent human review. The visual is an original editorial illustration, not a photograph of an event.

Statistics Canada Open Licence ·

Request a correction