Mark Carney’s first act as Prime Minister was to axe the consumer carbon tax, as cost of living concerns continue to remain front and centre for Canadians.
Since the RBC Climate Action Institute launched our annual report Climate Action 2025: a year for rewiring in January, we’ve been asked repeatedly: “How will axing the carbon tax affect the building sector?”
A fair question, as half of homes in Canada are heated using natural gas or home heating oil. The burning of these fuels accounts for 75 to 80% of building emissions. Ergo, the biggest opportunity to reduce these operating emissions is to electrify home heating.
The consumer carbon tax, until last Friday, applied to fossil fuels used to heat buildings. But even after factoring in the carbon tax, the cost of natural gas is about two times cheaper than electricity. The economics are still heavily tilted in favour of using natural gas for home heating at this stage of the energy transition.
Provincial and federal governments, aware of the unfavourable economics, have intervened by providing consumers with incentives to move away from fossil fuel powered furnaces. As we found in our analysis of the building sector, consumer adoption of heat pumps and their knock-on effects on capital mobilization and emissions are driving decarbonization efforts in the sector. All to say, axing the tax won’t slow down building decarbonization in the short-term, if other government policies, and spending by consumers and businesses stay the course.
➔ Meet Mark Carney, the consumer carbon tax eliminator ➔ Welcome to the era of “energy addition” ➔ Trump tracker: Keeping tabs on the U.S.’s whirlwind climate policy changes
Hot takes
➔The consumer carbon tax is gone. It was Prime Minister-designate Mark Carney’s first policy pronouncement 12 minutes into his victory speech after sweeping the Liberal race, as he promised during his campaign. The federal elections, presumably coming soon, will not just determine how a new leader handles the Trump Tornado, but also signal the trajectory of Canadian climate policy. On the surface, Carney, a former UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre could not have more different policy playbooks, but they appear to be on the same page on resource development—and scrapping the consumer carbon tax.
➔The latest B.C. budget captured the country’s shifting mood from environment first to economy foremost. The David Eby government is fast-tracking resource projects, including 18 major critical mineral and energy projects worth around $20 billion. Several of these critical mineral projects are vital for energy transition. At the same time provincial allocations for key climate-related ministries such as environment and parks, energy and climate solutions, water, land and resources won’t see significant increases over the three-year fiscal budget plan. Sales tax exemptions for used electric and other zero-emission vehicles is also at an end. Still, there was some environmental cheer: $100-million were earmarked for electric heat pump rebates, while the clean building tax credits were extended by a year.
The divide between the United States and Europe is not just about Ukraine. The two poles of Western power are now an ocean apart on energy and climate policy. And Canada will feel the tension, no matter who wins a federal election.
The cross-Atlantic divide was a key theme of Day 1 of CERAWeek, one of the world’s biggest energy conferences, in Houston. Energy Secretary Chris Wright kicked off the day with a blistering attack on climate policies, renewable energy sources and the very idea of an “energy transition.”
Wright shared details of his plans to boost LNG exports, and increase domestic electricity, to reduce costs. That will mean more natural gas, coal and nuclear. In other words, get ready for more of everything, or what he calls “energy addition” rather than energy transition.
Europe’s energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen offered a different view, saying his home country of Denmark is proof of an energy transition, with its shift from Russian gas to Danish renewables (plus American LNG). Europe will save 45 billion euros this year because of energy switching, he said. “There’s no back-tracking on our new green deal. In fact, it’s fast-tracking.”
Salim Samaha, BlackRock’s global head of energy, took a middle ground, suggesting “the zeitgeist has swung too far. There is a lot of energy addition and energy innovation that will hit us very quickly.”
He expects fossil fuels to be prominent “for a long time,” even as clean energy sources continue to grow.
So who will pay for and build “all of the above”?
The pressures to build more conventional energy in the U.S. will draw a lot of capital, equipment, machinery and skilled labour—all of which are in short supply anyway. For those wanting more gas power, turbine prices are up three-fold, and not available at any price until 2030. And for those wanting nuclear, the U.S. will need to outpace its best year ever by 60%, and do that every year for 20 years, to meet its goals.
Get ready for a lot more trade-offs, not just between energy sources but between how those sources are permitted, regulated and priced.
Read John’s full blog here and follow him on LinkedIn to read his latest insights.
TRUMP TRACKER
A scan of executive orders, departmental notices and government actions impacting the environment.
➔Implication: Deregulation of power plants and the oil and gas industry, and a revamp of the greenhouse gas reporting program are among the 31 actions planned, aimed at “driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
➔Implication: Weather and climate disasters has cost the U.S. economy US$2.9 trillion since 1980, and the latest cuts come as natural disasters become more frequent and severe. Last year saw the second-highest number of billion-dollar disasters, costing over US$180 billion. The downsizing could undermine the effectiveness of critical agencies such as the National Hurricane Center and the Aviation Weather Center.
➔#3: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to scrap its previous conclusion that greenhouse gases’ endanger public health and welfare.
➔Implication: The U.S. administration has already rolled back about 100 environmental regulations. Expect the latest move to unleash a chain of court battles.
➔#4: The U.S. Department of Agriculture removed climate-change information and data from its websites.
➔Implication: The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and two environmental groups have already sued the USDA for archiving and unpublishing pages focused in climate change. Climate data, tools and information is vital for farmers to make decisions about planting crops and managing land amid extreme weather patterns.
Canada is bracing for a new trade war after the U.S. slapped 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in an effort to re-shore its own industries. While it’s easy to lose sight of climate-change challenges amid trade turmoil, Canada’s decarbonizing efforts in its heavy industries can emerge as a strength that would help the sector face these headwinds.
However, fully capitalizing on these strengths would require Canada to address critical hurdles, including financing gaps for industrial-scale deployment, slow permitting for resource projects, and the need for stronger policy alignment with major trading partners. By strategically leveraging its clean-energy endowment and critical minerals supply, Canada can turn near-term economic pressures into long-term competitive advantages for its heavy industries such as cement, iron and steel, and petrochemicals.
We highlight a few of Canada’s strengths here:
Late-stage startups are leading the charge: As we highlighted in Climate Action 2025: A year for rewiring, the mega deals that characterized Canadian heavy industry innovators in the early 2020s have given way to a more sober fund-raising environment, with venture deals in 2024 amounting to $158 million, a fraction of the funds raised in previous years. While funding, especially for early-stage innovations, is more challenging than ever, late-stage startups are actively deploying their carbon-reducing innovations in partnership with large, incumbent players in cement, petrochemicals, and pulp and paper.
Clean power is Canada’s superpower. The country’s rich endowment of low-cost hydroelectric power has differentiated Canadian industries in several areas. Such advantages span aluminum smelting and iron and steel production. Additionally, electric arc furnaces under development in Ontario powered by clean electricity sources are set to produce low-carbon steel that would help lower the industry’s emissions.
Canada is poised to leverage a critical advantage: As a leading global producer of commodities such as potash, nickel, aluminum, and uranium, Canada’s metals and mining industry could buck the economic headwinds facing other sectors. As we highlighted in Climate Action 2025, mining companies are incorporating decarbonization technologies and practices into their operations, which are being recognized by end-users keen on decarbonizing their supply chains. The key for Canada will be to bring the commodities to market faster and position itself as the West’s critical minerals hub. This will require more financing for junior mining companies and faster permitting to bring mines online. In addition, industries and government will also need to build logistics and transportation infrastructure to remote location with First Nations buy-in, consent and partnerships. Read more about Canada’s critical minerals advantage here.
Canadian industries are well positioned to deliver commodities the country and global markets need, without losing sight of sustainability. Canada would benefit from using its energy endowment to responsibly power its industries, and continue to innovate to bring new technologies to commercial reality.
For more climate briefings and analyses, subscribe to our mailing list here to get our reports and bi-weekly newsletter Climate Crunch.
Vivan Sorab is Senior Manager, Clean Technology, at the RBC Climate Action Institute
Climate action is often associated with groundbreaking technologies, new data, and fresh approaches. But what if the next big climate innovation isn’t something new—but something we already have, simply seen through a different lens?
Ear tag on dairy cow for identification and data collection
Dairy barn in southwestern, Ontario
As Climate Action 2025 highlights, this year has brought turbulence for climate priorities, as trade and geopolitical tensions, particularly with the U.S., dominate attention. With climate action slipping down the priority list, industries must pivot—embedding sustainability into core business strategies, not as an add-on, but as a driver of efficiency, resilience, and growth.
With shifting priorities competing for resources and investments, innovation found right under your nose may hold the key to unlocking new market ready opportunities. Semex, a leading genetics company based in Guelph, Ontario shows us how.
Methane emissions from cattle—driven by enteric fermentation, a natural digestion process— is the largest source of GHG emissions in agriculture and among the toughest to abate. What if the key to reducing them was ready and waiting to be unlocked?
Semex offers animal semen, embryos, breeding services, and software to farmers in more than 80 countries. The company recently identified a genetic trait that farmers can now select to reduce their herds’ methane by 2 to 3% each generation, with permanent reductions of methane emissions estimated to be 20 to 30% by 2050.
The key to bringing this discovery to market wasn’t a brand-new technology—it was a new way of looking at existing industry data. Semex leveraged a national milk database managed by Lactanet, who collects data using mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy for milk quality and herd performance. By analyzing this data through a climate lens, researchers uncovered a striking insight: MIR datasets could also be used to predict and influence methane emissions. This existing dataset was the resource needed to unlock insights on methane production by cattle as novel and direct measurement approaches in the barn for methane are still too costly to scale.
Thanks to existing big data and collaboration, Semex was able to bring the methane efficiency trait to market.
This case study highlights a vital lesson: climate innovation doesn’t always require new tools—sometimes, it’s about looking at what we already have through a new lens. Businesses that embrace this mindset can unlock new efficiencies, market advantages, and climate solutions without reinventing the wheel.
For more on policies, people and companies driving climate action in the agriculture sector, visit the sector analysis of our flagship report here.
Over a quarter of a million EVs rolled onto Canadian roads in 2024 alone. But, as we noted in Climate Acton 2025: A Year For Rewiring, our annual flagship report, this year may test electric vehicle sales in the country amid a phase-out of purchase incentives that had supported the nascent market.
2025 Canadian International AutoShow – Ford 150 EV truck
2025 Canadian International AutoShow – Mercedes Benz EV chargers
2025 Canadian International AutoShow – Toyota Hydrogen Concept Car
The European experience offers a clue: the end of EV subsidies in Germany in 2023 led to a jump in sales ahead of the deadline, followed by a significant 10-15 percentage-point decline in adoption rates over the next 12 months. Similar trends played out across other parts of Europe.
In Canada, the federal incentives program ran out of funding earlier this year ahead of schedule, ending the $5,000 incentive that had motivated buyers to get behind the wheel of an EV. Quebec, in the midst of unwinding its incentives, also paused its program for two months amid high volumes. The question on policymakers and the auto industry’s minds is whether Canadian EV sales can continue to motor along in the absence of incentives. January’s data suggests a drop in EV sales already.
Thanks to subsidies, one in seven cars sold last year was an EV last year. This high watermark can be attributed to buyers rushing to purchase before incentives were phased out. As we wrote in Climate Acton 2025: A Year For Rewiring, nearly 90% of EV sales were aided by federal or provincial subsidies.
Here are the key factors that could impact EV adoption in Canada this year:
1.Incentive phase out. Some car brands continue to replace incentives previously provided by governments to soften the blow to consumers. We believe incentives will remain a critical adoption factor until price parity is achieved with gas-powered cars.
2.Tariffs and trade hurdles. Tariffs tend to raise prices, and EVs are not immune to that despite the presence of some cheaper-priced Asian brands in the segment. Geopolitical uncertainties are also adding to delays to EV production plans in Canada. 3. Range anxiety. Concerns over running out of battery power during trips is among the major deterrents for buyers. But battery ranges have significantly expanded, with EVs tested in cold weather1 boasting an average driving range of 300 kilometres on a single charge. That’s sufficient to meet the weekly work commute for 90% of Canadians.
4. Charging perception. Public charging spots have mushroomed in recent years, with 12,000 locations across the country compared to 10,000 gas stations, though they are mostly concentrated in urban areas. Overall, the EV-charger ratio is at the optimal range of 20-25 EVs per charger2, but the network will need to significantly expand to accommodate EV adoption among those with limited home charging access.
Most of the world forgot to do its climate homework
➔ Why scrapped energy projects are back in the news
➔ The Trump Tracker
➔ Introducing the Trade Hub
Hot takes
➔Most of the world forgot to do its climate homework. As many as 95% of countries, missed a U.N. deadline to submit new climate pledges for 2035. The UN said many countries had asked for more time to ensure their nationally determined contributions (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change under the Paris Agreement are “first rate.” However, Canada submitted its plan, pledging to reduce emissions by 45-50% below 2005 levels by 2035. To track Canada’s progress on its net-zero journey, read our annual report Climate Action Report 2025.
➔Energy East, Northern Gateway and Saguenay LNG. The long-dead energy projects are back in the news as the momentum to extract resources and ship to places not called the U.S. are gaining momentum. But a shake-up in regulations would be needed for companies before we see movement on any of these projects. Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel, the erstwhile backer of the Alberta-to-B.C. Northern Gateway oil pipeline, said it would require “real changes” from governments before the project would move forward. That includes legislative changes, including repealing Bill C-69 , also known as the “no-more-pipelines-act” by its detractors. François Poirier, CEO of TC Energy, which had proposed the Alberta-to-East-Coast Energy East oil pipeline back in 2013, said Canadian projects will need to compete with the company’s other opportunities in the U.S. and Mexico. But a quick overhaul of the regulatory environment, Poirier noted, would signal Canada’s willingness to get projects off the ground.
➔BP pressed the reset button on its strategy. The U.K. energy company said it’s restructuring its low-carbon business “for growth, but in a more capital-light way .” Analysts believe the changes would lead to a watering down of the company’s climate ambitions. BP is also the target of an activist investor after the company lost nearly a quarter of its value over the past two years, with investors souring over the previous CEO’s policies. New CEO Murray Auchincloss, a key architect of BP’s net-zero strategy in the previous regime, is now helming the “ fundamental reset”.
➔The launch event of our annual report on Canada’s climate progress sparked some great ideas. We hand-picked five for the next five years gleaned from an event to celebrate our Climate Action 2025: A year for rewiring report. Email me at Yadullah.hussain@rbc.com if you’d like a PDF of the briefing.
Carney’s plan
Are we talking about a climate plan in this day and age? Yes, yes, we are. Mark Carney, former governor of two G7 central banks, and leading contender to take the Liberals into the next federal election, has shared some ideas on his platform on how to weave climate into economic policy. First, like Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, he wants to axe the consumer carbon tax.
Here are the contours of his some of yet-to-be-fleshed-out climate plan:
➔Strengthen the industrial carbon tax. Carney wants to refine the Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) to 2035, tightening benchmarks to maintain a strong carbon price signal and curb credit oversupply. The plan also calls for inter-provincial collaboration. Last year, we worked with the Canadian Climate Institute and Clean Prosperity on using industrial carbon pricing to strengthen Canada’s competitiveness.
➔The plan is heavy on consumer-focused incentives. Expanding the Greener Homes Grants, increasing heat pump subsidies and implementing alternative financial tools, such as discounted mortgage insurance for energy-efficient homes are some of the ideas. The plan does not have a dollar figure for all these incentives and subsidies. Another idea that caught our eye: leveraging technology for real-time home energy assessments to drive smarter consumption decisions. (We wrote about that, too).
➔Mobilizing capital. Hard to mobilize capital when tariff threats and hard stares from across the border are making investors nervous. The plan also calls for finalizing Canada’s long-delated transition taxonomy. “Mandate broad coverage of climate risk disclosure for companies across Canada,” is also going to be a tough one to accomplish in an era when the U.S. is actively going after companies adhering to climate rules.
Chrystia Freeland, Carney’s Liberal rival and former Deputy Prime Minister, also has a plan to turn Canada into an “energy superpower” through major economic investment tax credits.
If she were to become PM, Freeland has pledged to “double down” on getting Canadian energy and resources to market, build West-East pipelines to reduce Canada’s dependence on the U.S. and secure its energy sovereignty. Critically, her government will fast-track 10 regionally important projects, of which three must be critical mineral projects, for faster approvals each year.
We will continue to monitor the climate and energy platforms of other candidates and other parties and summarize them in the run-up to the federal elections.
TRUMP TRACKER
A rundown of U.S. president Donald Trump and his administration’s pronouncements, orders, action and musings that could impact climate policy and trends.
➔Action #1: The U.S. approved a proposal from the country’s largest grid operator in the development of 50 new power plants.
➔Implication: Supposedly agnostic to energy sources, the projects are expected to encourage natural gas power, deemed more reliable than wind and solar power, in meeting urgent power needs. Renewable energy developers and environmental groups think the 50 new power plants “would jump the queue” and add to the delays in development of new wind turbines and solar farms.
➔Action #2: An oil and gas advocate was nominated to run the Bureau of Land Management.
➔Implication: If approved, Kathleen Sgamma , will oversee grazing, logging, drilling and wildlife conservation on 245 million acres of public land. The role is seen as part of the White House’s “energy dominance” vision that leans more on conventional energy than renewable power.
➔Action #3: On Day One of his appointment as Secretary of Interior, Doug Burgum issued several orders that would have a direct impact on carbon emissions. While “prosperity by deregulation,” and resuming offshore oil and gas leasing in several areas are among the highlights of the Secretary’s Day One orders, there’s one more thing that caught our eye: taking steps to prioritize updating the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals and accelerating the ongoing geological mapping of the country.
➔Implication: From Greenland to Canada, the new (it turns a month old today!) U.S. administration sees critical minerals as a precious prize. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even suggested critical minerals was driving talk of U.S.’s threat to annex Canada through “economic force.”
➔Action #4: Paper straws are out, plastic straw are back in, according to a new presidential executive decree.
Implication: “I don’t think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as they’re munching their way through the ocean,” is an actual Trump quote.
Phew, we’re sure we missed a few. Let us know any pertinent orders and regulations and we will look to include them in the next edition.
Trade Hub
We can’t talk climate without talking trade these days. Trade Hub , a new digital platform by RBC, aims to highlight opportunities for Canada in an economic order shaped by energy and national security. We will examine several key areas where Canada can leverage its strengths, including agriculture, energy, critical minerals and manufacturing supply chains, and the regulations and policies that drive investments into the country.
➔ Institute head John Stackhouse is on a panel at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s annual general meeting Feb 25-26 in Ottawa. Moderated by Tyler McCann, Acting Director at the Canadian Agri-food Policy Institute, the Canada’s Place in the World panel will explore evolving geopolitical and trade dynamics and how they impact Canada’s foreign and trade policy, with particular emphasis on the implications for Canadian agriculture.
➔ Economist Farhad Panahov attended the 2025 Canadian International Auto Show. Look out for his latest commentary on Canadian EV demand trends soon.
➔ Trump Tracker: The President’s impact on energy and climate policy ➔ A brake on EV mandates? ➔ Meet the ‘science geek’ at the helm of U.S. energy policy
Hot takes
A trade war looms coast to coast. RBC’s economics team believes a persistent tariff could be recessionary for Canada. But is it equally recessionary for Canadian climate policy? A bit early to say, but in response to a White House that’s placing greater emphasis on energy security relative to energy transition, there is a stronger push to expand all forms of resource development in both the U.S. and Canada (see item below). That likely has negative implications on Canada’s oil and gas pollution cap. The consumer carbon tax, which is increasingly being abandoned by the Liberals and the NDP, is also on shaky ground.
B.C., for a start, is not wasting a crisis. With U.S. tariffs looming, Premier David Eby is streamlining the regulatory track for North Coast Transmission Line and other high grid projects to support the development of critical minerals and liquefied natural gas projects, etc. The government is also expediting approvals for natural resource projects to counter “threats from the south of the border.” B.C. expects its real GDP to decline by 0.6% between 2025 and 2026 if the U.S. goes forward with its tariffs on Canadian goods.
What do tungsten, tellurium and indium have in common? China has announced export controls on all three minerals, but they can be substituted by building up Canadian resources. In December, the U.S. Department of Defense and a Canadian infrastructure fund invested $35.4 million in Vancouver-based Fireweed Metals to advance its 100%-owned Yukon tungsten project towards a final investment decision. Meanwhile, Canada is a top five global producer of tellurium and indium—both are used to make solar panels. In so many ways, American energy security runs through Canada.
Fracking executive is confirmed U.S. energy secretary. Chris Wright will drive U.S. energy diplomacy and oversee the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (which the U.S. wants to build up), among other key tasks. In his Senate testimony, the self-confessed “science geek” pledged to “unleash” American energy at home and abroad, lower energy costs, and cut red tape. He is a fan of nuclear fusion and geothermal. Wright also batted away several questions from U.S. senators on rising insurance costs due to climate risks. He was also non-committal about a question on U.S clawing back renewable investments. Read his fascinating responses to senators’ questions here.
DeepSeek jolted AI exuberance—and that’s not a bad thing. The low-cost Chinese AI app’s unexpected rise rocked Big share prices, but also shook up independent power producers, natural gas producers and gas pipelines that had rallied on unprecedented power demand to fuel the AI frenzy. Suddenly, there are doubts around global power outlook (up to 3x by 2050 from current levels). It’s still early days, but it’s made Big Tech CEOs revisit their portfolio of (low-carbon) energy needs.
Climate Action Award: For successful conservation efforts to revive at-risk sea otters and peregrine falcons in Canada, according to a new research by Carleton University’s Laurenne Schiller, et al.
The brake on EV mandate
All of this might be moot by the next election cycle, but for now Ottawa’s EV mandate (20% of all new car sales must be EVs by 2026; 100% by 2035) still stands. Even before politics cast a shadow, progress is stalling: first, Ottawa ended its EV rebate program after helping push 546,000 EVs on to the roads. Second, Quebec has temporarily suspended its generous Roulez vert Program until March 31.
If Canada’s federal EV mandate survives the next election cycle, automakers will have to purchase credits from their peers to offset the shortfall if they don’t meet their quota. Tesla collected over US$1.8 billion globally from selling regulatory credits in 2023, and will become a major seller of credits here in Canada, most likely enough to supply most of the industry. (That explains why Tesla founder Elon Musk is pushing for an end to EV incentives in the U.S.)
There is a third pain point: The new U.S. administration’s rollback of EV incentives is going to dent automakers EV plans—they are already delaying them at a time when they should be ramping up. While EVs make up around 20% of Hyundai and Kia’s sales mix in Canada in 2024, other top carmakers still have a large gap to bridge unless they quickly ramp up their EV focus.
All of this could have a net effect of 2.5 million fewer EVs on Canadian roads by 2035, and emissions level that are 10 Mt CO2e higher, or approximately 6% of sector’s current emissions, according to Climate Action Institute economist Farhad Panahov.
TRUMP TRACKER
The U.S. is changing its climate policy in deep and meaningful ways. Here are some of the highlights (or should that be lowlights?) from a flurry of executive orders and policy pullbacks:
Policy shift #1: Abolish Biden-era auto emissions rules.
Implication: Possible disruptions of automakers’ plans in Canada and the U.S. gearing up to build more efficient hybrids and EV cars.
Policy shift #2: Terminate state emissions waivers, like California’s, that seek to limit sales of gas-powered cars; rescind EV sales target of 50% total car sales by 2030; scrap 100% zero-emission federal fleet target by 2035.
Implication: Adds uncertainty to EV production, but unclear whether it impacts EV tax credits are other EV-promoting policies rooted in tax codes and Clean Air Act regulations.
Policy shift #3: Declare a national energy emergency to spur more drilling, pipelines, refineries, power plants and reactors and “a massive increase in domestic energy supply.”
Implication: Oil producers have maintained capital discipline and returned money to shareholders rather than expanding production in recent years. Trump has also urged OPEC countries to open the taps to boost oil output at a time when global oil demand is tepid. But a recent wildlife drilling auction in Alaska yielded no bids, suggesting producer are not ready to “drill, baby, drill” yet.
Policy shift #4: Withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, a global pact to address climate change. Implication: The U.S. will be MIA on several global initiatives to fight climate change, suggesting a bifurcated international approach to combat global warming.
Policy shift #5: Rescinded 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035.
Implication: A hit to wind and solar industries, which were expected to drive record clean electricity capacity additions in 2024 and possibly 2025.
What on the team’s reading list?: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein, Source Code by Bill Gates, and Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the race that will change the world by Parmy Olson.
Curated by Yadullah Hussain, Managing Editor, RBC Climate Action Institute.
➔ America’s era of energy dominance is here. What does it mean for climate policy? ➔ Climate Action Annual Report 2025: What Semex and Purolator have in common ➔ What Canadian business leaders say about climate action ➔ The TV series capturing U.S. oilpatch’s cheery mood
Hot takes
Subsidies, funding and leadership. These three levers will advance climate progress, according to a majority of the 100-plus business executives we surveyed for the Climate Action 2025: A year for rewiring, our annual report tracking Canada’s climate progress. Around three-fourths of Canadian businesses have a climate strategy in place, and roughly 40% believe they are (almost) equal partners with governments in driving climate action. Read the survey here.
Severe weather events are costing Canada’s economy. Natural disaster claims of $8 billion last year in Canada smashed the previous record of $6 billion, as climate-change fuelled weather events played havoc across the country from Jasper to Toronto, Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates. It’s not just Canada. Early estimates show Los Angeles’ wildfires could trigger economic losses of as much as US$150 billion—the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Globally, the losses stood at US$320-billion last year, 30% higher than 2023.
Misinformation is the world’s top short-term global risk. That’s according to a World Economic Forum report on global risks. While misinformation, and its close cousin disinformation, pervades society, it also pollutes discourse on climate issues. Social media is not helping as it plans to remove guardrails on misinformation. WEF’s top 4 long-term risks are all environmental: extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, critical changes to Earth’s system, and natural resource shortages.
Oilpatch cowboy tales. Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of the Yellowstone TV series—which tapped America’s conservative-progressive cultural clash—, is back with Landman (Amazon Prime), a Texas Permian Basin tale rife with drug cartels, roughneck life and merciless ribbing off the renewable sector’s presumed deficiencies compared to the oil sector. Watch the acerbic, plain-speaking oil lease executive—or landman—Billy Bob Thornton bat away Permian and parental troubles on a daily basis. It’s reductive and retro—quite like the American mood right now.
➔ Bi-Weekly Climate Action Award: To Ontario for launching a Home Renovation Savings Program that offers 30% rebate on heat pumps, rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems, etc. Buildings account for 13% of Canada’s emissions.
➔ Bi-Weekly Climate Action Fail Award: To Australia for delaying the rollout of new carbon emission targets by 2035, citing the return of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Canada’s role in U.S. energy dominance
There were no tariffs on Canadian goods on Day One of Donald Trump’s presidency—but they could come as soon as Feb. 1. Amid the chaos of Washington’s tariff and “economic force” threats, there might even by a sliver of opportunity for Canada: the potential of a new bilateral energy trade deal between the two as the U.S. president vows “energy dominance” for America.
The U.S. president has declared an “energy emergency” to build new critical infrastructure. Could some of it be built in Canada given the integrated nature of the two country’s energy sector?
Trump’s inaugural speech focused on “liquid gold under our feet,” and exporting American energy all over the world. Would Canada be feeding America’s domestic oil and gas markets that would free up U.S. output for exports? The contours of Trump’s Great Energy Game views Greenland, Canada, Mexico and the Panama Canal, as resource and depots hubs that the U.S. can draw upon. Glass half-full suggests Canada can be an equal partner in fortifying North American energy security. Glass half-empty suggests the U.S. may need less Canadian oil and gas in the future if its “drill, baby, drill,” mantra leads to a domestic output boom. Cue for calls in some quarters to resurrect the long-dead, Asia-facing Northern Gateway oil pipeline.
Canada has its work cut out as it keeps tariffs at bay and helps America realize its energy ambitions without losing sight of its own climate goals.
Meanwhile, the U.S.’s own climate targets are out the window with its exit from the Paris Climate Accord. If that positioning turns into a full reversal of the Inflation Reduction Act, it’s hard to see other major economies not following suit and scaling back their investments, according to Institute head John Stackhouse.
Read John Stackhouse’s take on Trump’s first day back in the White House.
Climate Action 2025: Rewire & reboot
The Institute’s second annual report on Canada’s climate action is full of insights, but here are five themes that stood out to us:
1. The big number: Climate action has doubled in Canada over the past five years, and there is one big driver: sizeable government funding announcements of $177 billion worth over the past decade, according to our tracking. Now comes the other hard part: how to fully deploy it.
2. Climate security is the new watchword. ESG is out, climate security is in—or so it seems. Protecting North American resources and supply chain is going to be critical over the next decade. However, governments will also need to distinguish between friend and foe (yes, we are looking at you, America).
3. Canadian innovation is alive and well—and under-reported: Guelph-based Semex is working away to make future generations of Holstein cattle breeds low-carbon. Meanwhile, unknown to most, logistics firm Purolator helped Canadian startups build better e-bikes. Innovation, driven by market forces, can lead to serendipitous solutions.
4. Alberta is a climate leader: The province’s early coal phaseout needs to be celebrated. Of course, Alberta’s U-turn on renewable development has undone some the goodwill, but climate progress is almost never linear.
5. A spate of new green projects couldboost theClimate Action Barometer. Our proprietary index on Canada’s climate action is tracking progress from a spate of decarbonizing projects, including Entropy’s carbon capture and storage projects, Shell’s Polaris carbon capture and Canada Nickel’s Timmins project, among others.
➔ On January 15, we gathered over 100 business, NGO, government, and climate leaders to launch our flagship climate action report, Climate Action 2025: a year for rewiring. We heard from Dave McKay, RBC CEO, Sir Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, and Canadian artist Ed Burtynsky on ways Canada and the world can rewire our thinking and strategies to keep climate on the radar.
➔ Institute head John Stackhouse is in Davos. Follow him on LinkedIn to read his frequent updates.
➔ On January 30, Myha Truong-Regan, our Head of Climate Research, will be on a panel alongside Jennifer McLeod Macey, SVP, Public Affairs & Communications, Leger, and Tracey Bodnarchuk, CEO, Canada Powered by Women, at the Toronto Regional Board of Trade’s Powering our Climate & Energy Economy Symposium, to discuss what Canadians really think about climate and energy policy.
What’s on the team’s reading wish list: Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis by Robert D Kaplan, The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West by Alexander C Karp and Nicholas W Zamisk, Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson.
Curated by Yadullah Hussain, Managing Editor, RBC Climate Action Institute.
Davos has seen a few golden ages during its time. In the 1880s, the Swiss Alps town became one of Europe’s early tourist destinations when a new class of travellers took to the “grand tour.” Davos added to its lustre in the 1920s as a spa resort for a newly confident class of Europeans. And in the 1990s, it gained a special renown as home to the World Economic Forum, which was rapidly growing in prominence at the time as the intellectual centre of globalization.
But none of those moments may have quite matched the American exuberance that took to the sleepy ski town this week. Rather than showing signs of retreat, the U.S. came in force—700 strong—including Silicon Valley titans, Wall Street billionaires, Nobel laureates, industrialists and, as if to put the gold in golden age, Olympic ski legends Lindsay Vonn and Picabo Street. To cap it off, President Donald Trump—a longtime Davos fan—video-conferenced in from Washington to both berate other government and business leaders for not pulling their weight, and to talk up American exceptionalism. Golden or not, a new age felt like it had begun—not just for the 50 heads of government and 3,000 others in attendance, but for much of the world.
BlackRock’s Larry Fink and European Central Bank’s Christine Lagarde
Donald Trump speaking remotely to a packed Davos conference
Hans Ulrich Obrist and Sougwen Chung at the World Economic Forum, January 24, 2025
Emirates Display, Davos Platz
NBC Universal House, Davos Platz
Traffic on the main promenade, Davos Platz
Nicholas Thompson, Jonathan Ross, Andrew Ng, Yoshua Bengio, Yejin Choi, and Thomas Wolf at the World Economic Forum, January 22, 2025
Ursula von der Leyen speaking at the World Economic Forum, January 21, 2025
Washington Post Watch Party
Here are some of the themes that emerged at this year’s Forum:
1. America’s confidence has rarely been higher
The mood among American CEOs, and investors, was what one Davos veteran called “giddy.” Donald Trump’s triumphal declaration of a “golden age” seems to have given businesses a shot of confidence that has changed many 2025 outlooks. The U.S economy is showing such strength that the International Monetary Fund raised its global growth forecast for 2025, from 2.2% to 2.7%, as corporations invest, especially in artificial intelligence (AI), and look to acquisitions. The U.S. is now the world’s premier destination for investment, by a long shot. In the 12 months before Trump returned to power, it attracted US$227 billion in greenfield investment projects—up by US$100 billion and more than China, India and Britain combined. Consumers are showing renewed confidence, too, while Trump’s promise to cut corporate taxes and slash regulations has quickly unleashed the animal spirits of a free market. Even the tariff threats that are rattling trade partners are seen as a win at home, pushing businesses to build inventories and domestic capacity. More than policies, Trump seems to want to restore enthusiasm in corporate America and the broader economy, and stretch the country’s ambitions. “The impossible is what we do best,” he said by video conference. While American exceptionalism may carry companies and markets for a while, risks could cloud the sunny outlook. Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—and its massive subsidies that are now on the chopping block—was a big reason for a lot of that investment. Inflation is another worry, as the massively indebted U.S. government continues to spend and compete with all that private investment. Immigration cuts are threatening the labour supply and could drive up wages, too. All that has put pressure on long-term interest rates, as investors wonder if inflation is truly conquered. Larry Fink, BlackRock’s CEO, said he could see a scenario in which 10-year bond yields hit 5.5%—not his forecast, he stresses, but just a distinct possibility that could dampen some of the giddiness.
Question for 2025 (Q25): Will an America First administration be able to work with other countries to keep global imbalances from tipping?
2. Europe’s confidence has seldom been lower
European leaders usually flock to Davos to tell the rest of the world about their special place in global affairs, diplomacy, business and economic policy. Not this time. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen led a procession of voices from the continent, expressing concern about its prospects. American business and government leaders, including Trump, used the Davos stage to make it clear that Europe had become almost uninvestible because of the extraordinary layers of red tape that constrict companies and entrepreneurs. (One executive said new sustainability reporting rules required his company to answer 800 questions in its submission.) Von der Leyen acknowledged that a generation of young entrepreneurs was at risk of leaving for America and elsewhere, and conceded that Trump’s “Golden Age” messaging was a “wake-up call” for Europe. German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, who is expected to win next month’s election and become Chancellor, shared his conservative agenda of cutting taxes, slashing energy bills for manufacturers (prices have soared since Germany went off nuclear and then Russia cut gas supplies), reducing unemployment benefits and cutting family immigration levels to focus on skilled workers. He also wants to confront the Brussels bureaucracy. But it took an American, BlackRock’s Fink, to see some opportunity in the shifting winds, especially if Europe can agree to a single capital market. “There’s too much pessimism in Europe,” he told an audience on the final day. “It’s probably time to be investing back into Europe.”
Q25: Will a further expected shift to the right create momentum for deep changes to the European Union?
3. Supply shocks add to geopolitical risks
Just as the world is trying to find a new normal in the aftermath of the pandemic, the abnormal has become common. Some central bankers at Davos expressed concern about the growing threat of “supply shocks”—the disruptions in the global economy that gum up the free flow of markets. Their interest rate policies can control inflation only so much. Take the Panama Canal, for instance, one of Trump’s early targets. Any disruption to its normal operations could send inflation jumping again. Same for the Suez Canal, where Iran casts a dark shadow. The two conflicts of greatest concern to Trump—Ukraine and Gaza—could easily turn worse, and spread through their neighbourhoods at a time when many countries are pulling back from multilateral institutions like the United Nations. And then there’s perhaps the biggest risk on the supply side: climate-related disasters. Trump expressed confidence his administration can restore peace and some certainty where others had failed. He’s already opened an active channel with China’s President Xi Jinping, and suggested they work together to end the Ukraine war (Trump would handle the Ukrainians; Xi would work on Vladimir Putin). He took credit for the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire, too, and said he’d like to work on nuclear disarmament with China and Russia once Ukraine is settled. Many Davos regulars wondered if Trump, having twice won the U.S. presidency, is now angling for the Nobel Peace Prize, too.
Q25: Can shrewd negotiating skills and the strong arm of U.S. influence keep the world from greater war?
4. Energy dominance is a thing, but who will pay for it?
Say what you like about Trump, but he doesn’t mince words. And on energy, his message to the Davos crowd was clear: “Drill, baby, drill.” The Europeans seated around me in the conference hall looked shocked, until he said he would guarantee natural gas supplies for Europe. The desire for more of all kinds of energy—Trump cited oil, natural gas, nuclear, even coal—will be a relief to people in many countries struggling with high energy costs. But the political goal of “energy dominance” will have to overcome some market fundamentals. The sector has been starved of capital for much of the past decade, and may not want to invest billions of dollars on new production when prices are uncertain and perhaps falling. There’s the supply-chain challenge, too. New rigs and pipelines need a lot of heavy materials and skilled labour that are in short supply. The same goes for critical minerals which Trump wants the U.S., and allies such as Canada, to develop in order to wean themselves from Chinese supplies. Nuclear energy, which is gaining popularity, will have its own set of challenges in terms of time-frames and costs. As for the fastest-growing source of energy in the U.S., and elsewhere, the near-term fate of solar and wind is suddenly less certain. They’ve benefitted greatly from IRA, and now have to make it more on their own merits.
Q25: Will energy expansion be paid for mostly by governments, businesses or consumers?
5. The world is starting to re-arm, and re-aim
In the WEF’s annual risk survey of its members, armed conflict topped the list for the year ahead; two years ago, it didn’t even crack the Top 10. Ukraine has Europeans on edge, especially if the U.S. pulls back, while the Taiwan Strait is a worry to Asia. And the Middle East remains nervous as a weakened Iran—after losing influence in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza—considers its options. Despite Trump’s promise of peace-making, he and other leaders speaking at Davos made clear that governments in the coming years will be spending a lot more on defence. And that will mean competition for both new technologies and the old materials—steel, for instance—that every military machine is built on. The need for an advanced manufacturing sector is a key reason both Germany and the U.S. are looking to rebuild their industrial bases, to ensure they can manufacture their own weapons. They may have a harder time building up their troops, given aging demographics across the West and young generations’ reluctance to sign up for military service. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to Davos, in military fatigues, to maintain support for his efforts—and also issue a warning to Europe and its allies. Russia has a military force of 1.4 million, including 600,000 on and around Ukrainian soil. After that, Ukraine is the largest force in Europe, with 800,000 troops. France is next at 200,000. Moreover, Ukraine relies on the U.S. for more than a third of its weapons, and continues to build arms factories to gain more independence. Mark Rutte, NATO’s new secretary-general, warned of growing “hybrid” threats through the weaponization of civilian devices like drones (and pagers). Zelenskyy suggested Europe build an “iron dome” like Israel to protect itself from Russian missiles. It may need other defensive shields, including cyber ones, as warfare rapidly evolves, leaving no nation truly safe.
Q25: As AI increasingly powers dual-use weapons, will they be more useful to democracies or dictatorships?
6. Meet Gen AI’s agents of change
AI has become as common a theme at Davos as the economic outlook, and the two are increasingly intertwined. Unlike previous years when AI was debated largely by technologist and ethicists, it’s now firmly the domain of business operators too, thanks to the explosion of AI agents at work. Small wonder it’s called the agentic era. In the U.S. alone, more than 5,000 companies have been created in the last decade to help businesses deploy AI agents in call centres, on sales teams and in back offices. A WEF study released at Davos found companies that lead in AI adoption outperform their peers by 15% in revenue, with the biggest growth coming in financial services, telecom and media. A range of public and private enterprises shared their experience more broadly with AI, from accelerating drug discovery to providing municipal services in dozens of languages and advancing cancer detection. Copilots and agents have gained additional traction in education—in schools as well as workplaces, as AI increasingly personalizes and predicts a learning journey. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, a leader in the agent space, says the challenge now for organizations investing in AI is to develop more than tech talent. The coming preponderance of AI agents in every aspect of organizations is going to require new approaches to corporate culture and team-building, because the teams of tomorrow will include active learning AI agents. Benioff told a roomful of business leaders: “We’re going to be the last CEOs who will be managing only humans as our workforce.“
Q25: Is society ready to work with mixed teams of people and AI agents?
7. DEI seems to be MIA. Will climate manage to stay?
Diversity, equity and inclusion used to be central themes at Davos. No more, other than as an attack line for some politicians. Trump rattled the crowd—you could see people bristle in their chairs—when he called diversity initiatives “nonsense” and stressed, a few times, America would be a “meritocracy.” His rhetoric was tame compared to a speech earlier that day from Argentina’s Javier Milei, who railed against social justice efforts, saying rights are enshrined in law and so people don’t need privileges like hiring preferences. Away from the spotlight, some wondered whether the same giant pendulum swing might happen to climate, while Europeans looked to limit the impact of decisions like the U.S. pulling out of the Paris climate accord. Many climate-focused organizations seem to be already quietly shifting their focus, including a swing back to conserving nature. Another shift may be to move scarce dollars toward helping people and communities adapt to a world with more floods and fires. In the WEF risk report, five of the top 10 long-term risks were still climate-related. They may just need to be addressed differently. And more quietly.
Q25: How will a new class of conservative governments address the rise of climate-related disasters and damages?
8. The populists now have to deliver … to the people
Many political thinkers and historians at Davos had one eye on the new voices on the world stage, and another on the people who voted them in. Why? The populists now have to deliver, which won’t be easy in an age of tightening budgets and rising expectations. Gillian Tett, an anthropologist and journalist who is now provost of Cambridge University, cautioned the audience to be mindful of “social silence”—and the undercurrents that can pull any government under. The biggest risk, in her view, is an economic downturn, or worse a financial crisis, at a time when Trump is talking of a golden age and spending public money on things like AI and cryptocurrency that don’t mean much at the kitchen table. Despite his popularity now, Americans could grow more hostile if Trump’s wealthiest advisers were seen to profit from his policies while the general economy suffered. Such a prospect would play into a broader and growing anti-elite sentiment, which appears to be particularly strong among younger people. The annual Edelman Trust Barometer, released at Davos, showed this year an astonishing rise in the acceptance of violence among younger adults, as a means of expressing discontent. Lawrence Summers, the noted American economist, former Treasury Secretary and long-time Davos-goer, said governments would be wise to focus on service-delivery rather than grand promises and restructurings—getting roads paved, cheques delivered, and communities served in their times of need. In many ways, he noted, it’s overdue and could be good for democracy if it restores confidence in government and institutions.
Q25: Will any Western government be more popular than at the time of its last election?
9. Back to the moon, and beyond
For all the discussions at Davos about markets and policies—it’s the World Economic Forum, after all—the WEF manages to draw an eclectic mix of doers and creators. This year there was a special focus on space, and, yes, the space economy. One evening, under a bright moon, I made my way across the Davos valley, to a small dinner with the heads of several space agencies, and some of the entrepreneurs who are building entirely new sectors to get more people, and equipment, to our outer orbit—and to that shining moon. The diversity of exploration was impressive. Japan is rapidly advancing space robots and precision landing devices (they can land within 10 metres of their destination on the moon). The Japanese are also working with the Indian space agency on the next generation of moon rovers, which the Japanese think they can soon equip with pressurized cabins that will allow astronauts to drive on the surface without full personal equipment. The Saudis are focussed on launching satellites and collecting space debris. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology explained a project to send a ship this month to the South Pole of the Moon, where temperatures range from +1 to -200, to study a crater that’s been visited only once. The European Space Agency has its own big project, to chase an asteroid that is hurtling towards us and will come within 38,000 kilometres of Earth (on Friday, April 13, 2029). A U.S. space investor, Kam Ghaffarian, was at our dinner to explain the hundreds of millions he’s investing in new launch systems, with a 700-person team in Los Angeles. He thinks launch technology will be one of the big growth opportunities, as the U.S. goes from a record 145 orbital launches last year (five times what it was in 2017) to sending that many every few weeks. There will be far more launches every month around the world. Entrepreneurs like Ghaffarian raised US$8.6-billion for space ventures last year—in a sector that a McKinsey & Co. study projects will be worth US$1.8 trillion in another decade. For the space-dreamers, it’s not about the money; it’s about the chance to help humanity rise above ourselves, and see our world as it is from space, with no borders and no conflict. And even among competitors, it’s about collaboration. As Mohammed Al-Tamimi, the CEO of Saudi’s space agency said, “no country will go to the moon and stay on the moon alone.”
Q25: Will the Trump administration formally launch a new Mars project?
John Stackhouse is Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, Royal Bank of Canada, and leads the RBC Climate Action Institute.
As part of our Climate Action 2025 report, we launched a national photography program to capture real-world examples of climate action across diverse sectors and regions. This collection highlights the unique stories of climate change, the juxtaposition of industry and nature, and some of the solutions in action. By bridging the gap between complexity and emotional connection, these images aim to inspire meaningful conversations and action. Explore this gallery to celebrate this group of photographers who set out to capture climate action in Canada.
Amanda Shalovelo
Amanda began photography when she was fourteen years old. She is self-taught and enjoys primarily photographing scenes from the backroads of the prairies of Saskatchewan. She has been featured in the Canadian Geographic calendars thirteen times and was recently shortlisted for Canadian Geographic’s upcoming Best Wildlife Photography 2024 special issue and the 2025 Wicked Weather Calendar for Canadian Geographic.
A cow waiting for the photographer to leave, Lanigan, Saskatchewan
A quick snack, Langham, Saskatchewan
A wide angle shot of this group having their snack, Langham, Saskatchewan
Group shot of the herd, Lanigan, Saskatchewan
Portrait of an unimpressed cow, Lanigan, Saskatchewan
Proud farm owner going to greet his herd, Langham, Saskatchewan
Truck coming down to the feedlot, Langham, Saskatchewan
Young calf in the middle of the herd, Langham, Saskatchewan
Harmony Le Reste
Harmony is a French photographer focusing her work on nature and the great outdoors. At the age of 22 in 2015, she moved to Montreal, Canada. This change of life was accompanied by the discovery of the wide-open spaces and wild nature characteristics of North America. She began working as a freelancer with the Tourist Offices in 2016 and traveled throughout Quebec. Since 2019, she also offers photo trips and workshops all around the world to aspiring nature photographers directly in the field.
Today, she juggles her multiple hats as a nature photographer, photo travel guide, artistic director and outdoor videographer.
Anse de sable, Charlevoix
Lac de la Roche, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Lac Résimond, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier, Capitale nationale
Parc national Forillon, Gaspésie
Len Wagg
Len Wagg is an award-winning Canadian photographer, author and presenter. A visual storyteller for over three decades, he is well known for capturing the majestic beauty of his native Nova Scotia’s wildlife and salt-strewn landscapes. His assignments have taken him all the way from the deserts of Ethiopia to the cockpit of a CF-18 over Europe, and all across Canada. His images have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world.
A farmer prepares his fields in the spring in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
A fisher organized lines for lobster traps in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
A fishing boat makes its way through the mist in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia
A mosaic of ice surrounds fishing boats in Bay St Lawrence, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Aline of trees cast a shadow over blueberry fields, Port Grenville, Nova Scotia
Amherst Point, Nova Scotia
Blueberry fields in the fall near Parrsboro, Nova Scotia
Fish farming off the coast of Nova Scotia
Lobster boxes stored in the water creat a design near Tracadie, Nova Scotia
Spring crop, Grand Pre, Nova Scotia
Marc Gilbert
With a passion for exploring Manitoba’s hidden gems, Marc Gilbert captures stunning images of its sprawling parks and serene rural landscapes. His bold and vibrant photographs evoke a sense of wonder, inspiring viewers to appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors.
Canola field closeup under blue sky. Otterburne, Manitoba
Closeup of hydroelectric dam spillway. Seven Sisters Falls, Manitoba
Combines harvesting fields and dusty sky. St-Pierre Jolys, Manitoba
Cornfield at sunset, St-Pierre Jolys, Manitoba
Dried corn field and feed mill. Carey, Manitoba
Hydro-electric generating station wall. Seven Sisters Falls hydro dam, Manitoba
Irrigation tractor in a field under a moody sky. Otterburne, Manitoba
Lake and wind turbines. St-Leon, Manitoba
Lone tree in a field under a moody sunrise. St-Pierre Jolys, Manitoba
Train on a snowy day. Bear Lake Trail, Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba
Mitchell Milbury
Mitchell Milbury is a nature and landscape photographer from New Brunswick, Canada. Most of his photography work highlights the natural beauty of the Maritimes. He was raised in Woodstock, New Brunswick where he spent most of his childhood outdoors. Mitchell practices photography weekly by exploring the province of New Brunswick and creating images that showcase its rich natural environment.
Mitchell’s artwork has been exhibited in New Brunswick galleries, and has sold numerous prints of his artwork online.
Neil was born and raised in Montreal where he studied Film & Communications at McGill University before heading west to Toronto in 1998. It was at this time that the first digital cameras began to emerge and Neil was instantly hooked. $1400.00 got him a 1.3 megapixel Olympus.
Neil was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel the world and develop his own style of panoramic, landscape photography. Using a Phase One, medium format camera, Neil’s unique approach and technique result in a distinct look that is easily recognizable. Each final piece consists of multiple images captured with varying exposures and focal points, all seamlessly put together in an effort to transport the viewer to a specific time and place.
Neil became a staple in the Toronto art scene and was represented by the prestigious Lonsdale Gallery. Over the next four years, the gallery featured Neil’s work in several solo exhibits.
In 2013, Derek and Kirsty Stern accompanied Neil on a photography trip to Africa. The trip was picture perfect and many more adventures were booked…Bora Bora, Hawaii, Iceland, China, Japan, France, Bolivia etc… In 2015, Neil, Derek and Kirsty opened Kandy Gallery in Montreal. Shortly after, Neil was commissioned by Hotel X Toronto in what would turn out to be the largest fine art photography transaction in Canadian history. He spent close to three years traveling the globe to capture over 800 landscape images for the one of a kind luxury resort hotel. In early 2018, Neil opened Kandy Gallery Toronto in the lobby of Hotel X Toronto and then Kandy Gallery Memphis was launched in December.
EV Charging, Toronto, Ontario
Greenhouse, Leamington, Ontario
Greenhouse, Leamington, Ontario (2)
Greenhouse, Leamington, Ontario (3)
Greenhouse, Leamington, Ontario (4)
Knapp Lane, Toronto, Ontario
Knapp Lane, Toronto, Ontario (2)
Woodrill Farms, Ontario
Woodrill Farms, Ontario (2)
Yu Ranch, Tillsonburg, Ontario
Ray Mackey
Ray is a Canadian Landscape & Nature photographer who has been capturing emotion and storylines through imagery for a lifetime and publishing them for the past 15 years. Ray’s travels to other parts of the world to seek out new imagery to capture is an ongoing passion; however, his published works largely focus on the shores of eastern Canada in Newfoundland and has led to being published and displayed in and on the covers of magazines along with other publications and Canadian embassies worldwide.
Bay Bulls, Newfoundland
Cargo vessel passing an iceberg in Ferryland, Newfoundland
Come By Chance, Newfoundland (2)
Cooks Harbour, Newfoundland
Cougar helicopters in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland
Entrance to St. John’s Harbour, St. John’s Newfoundland
Iceberg season, Bay Bulls, Newfoundland (2)
Iceberg season, Bay Bulls, Newfoundland (3)
Inshore and offshoare fishing boats, Witless Bay, Newfoundland
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