OVERVIEW
The electricity generation, transmission, and distribution sector in Canada directly employs more than 110,000 workers.
CUPE represents almost 40,000 workers in the energy sector in Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec. They are employed as trades and maintenance workers, customer service representatives, accountants, administrative assistants, billing and record agents, communications staff, drafters, programmer analysts, technologists, power line workers, technicians, clerks, skilled trades workers, atomic energy workers and call centre workers.
Our members work mainly in electricity generation, distribution, and transmission for public and private companies.
CUPE collective agreements cover the following members:
- 600 in Alberta
- 20,000 in Ontario, mostly through the Power Workers’ Union units (CUPE 1000)
- 800 in Manitoba
- 17,000 in Quebec, mostly through Hydro-Québec CUPE locals
ISSUES
Rise in electricity demand
Both in Canada and internationally, the demand for more electricity is growing. Current projection scenarios in Canada estimate that electricity demand will grow between 26% and 85% from 2023 to 2050. The two main factors driving this trend are the increased demand for electric vehicles and data centres. Since artificial intelligence (AI) is being prioritized by governments and employers, there is a need to build more data centres which house the parts that make AI function. Data centres require a lot of energy. They used 485 TWh globally in 2025, and that could rise to 950 TWh by 2030. The energy sector is not immune to the AI push, which presents key risks for workers such as job loss, surveillance, algorithmic management and bias and discrimination.
The other factor driving electrification is a race for cleaner energy. The energy sources that power electricity, like hydroelectricity, have less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The rise of GHG emissions is the leading factor in climate change. Fossil fuels emit a lot of GHG emissions, and they are still the largest type in Canada’s energy mix. War and climate change have made oil and gas more expensive. This has pressured governments, Crown corporations and private companies to invest in hydropower, nuclear, solar, wind and other renewables to meet the increased electricity demand. Carney’s government has made it clear that though they want to diversify and expand the energy mix, they will continue investing in oil and gas as well.
Government policy and legislation
Due to this shifting landscape, the federal government is working on two strategies that will have many repercussions for the energy sector.
The federal government released a discussion paper called Powering Canada Strong: A National Strategy for an Electrified Canadian Economy and announced an upcoming nuclear energy strategy.
It is encouraging to see the federal government prioritize the build-out of an east-to-west electrical grid in the discussion paper. We know this will create jobs and set up an important piece of energy independence from the United States. However, the federal government does not spell out how provinces should work together to create interprovincial links and will not prioritize funding public energy projects.
With these documents, the federal government is also moving away from the clean electricity requirements to fund projects under the Clean Electricity Regulations, which will lead to more fossil fuel projects receiving public funding.
These initial strategies are also signaling federal support for nuclear projects, while being light on details regarding nuclear workforce development and retention, and the disposal of nuclear waste. Also, any nuclear strategy should focus on using Canadian owned and operated technology like the CANDU reactors, but both provincial and federal governments are investing in small modular reactor (SMR) technology. This SMR technology is yet untested and is being developed by private, American companies while being subsidized by Canadian public funding.
Privatization
Across Canada, investment in wind, solar and parts of nuclear energy generation has been made through public subsidies of private investment. This private sector investment has enabled the rise of private ownership of electricity generation.
Provinces have promoted private solar, wind, nuclear and tidal generation projects. This approach undermines publicly owned and centrally managed electricity generation. This has led to inefficiencies in the make-up of electricity generation and distribution, causing unnecessary cost and price increases.
CUPE’s position is that green energy jobs should be public sector jobs for an effective, fair and democratic energy future. Electricity generation, distribution, and transmission should be invested in, operated, and regulated by different levels of government to meet the needs of Canadians.
BARGAINING
Hydro-Québec
Two Hydro-Québec locals, CUPE 957 (technologists) and CUPE 1500 (trades) are currently on an essential service strike. They are seeking fair compensation and restrictions on the contracting out of work. CUPE 2000, representing professional technicians and office workers and CUPE 4250 representing specialists and professionals both recently ratified their agreements. They both achieved 19% wage increases over a period of 5 years, and language increasing flexibility around remote and in-person work.
Manitoba Hydro
CUPE 998, representing technical and clerical workers for Manitoba Hydro, ratified a collective agreement in the fall of 2025. They achieved 9.5% wage increases over a 3-year term, with additional increases for lowest-paid and long-service employees.
CAMPAIGNS
Ongoing CUPE local campaigns include health and safety, anti-privatization campaigns, a plan for funding a fair and sustainable transition to a low-carbon economy through calls for a Just Transition, campaigns to organize non-unionized workers in the sector, and pushing governments to plan for succession in the industry through training and recruitment.
CUPE works with allies in Canada and all over the world to keep energy public and push for cleaner energy. Our international electricity campaigns support public ownership of the energy sector, push for action to address climate change and expand national and international coordination of energy sector policy.