{"id":28164,"date":"2026-06-04T13:29:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T13:29:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/?post_type=rbc_tl&p=28164"},"modified":"2026-06-04T15:39:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:39:15","slug":"the-tech-race-to-tame-canadas-wildfires","status":"publish","type":"rbc_tl","link":"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/en\/thought-leadership\/climate-action-institute\/climate-crunch\/the-tech-race-to-tame-canadas-wildfires\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Crunch: The tech race to tame Canada’s wildfires"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u2794 F1\u2019s race ahead in sustainable fuel initiative<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 Arrell Food Institute’s Evan Fraser on what keeps him up at night<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2794 What\u2019s Canada\u2019s next big climate policy moment?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Signals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clean energy spending is set to nearly double that of fossil fuels for the first time.<\/strong> For every dollar going to oil, gas, and coal (US$1.2 trillion), nearly two are expected to flow to renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, efficiency, and electrification in 2026, estimates the International Energy Agency in its World Energy Investment 2026 report. The Middle East conflict is reshaping energy investment in real time, pushing energy security to the forefront, notes Clean Tech Lead Vivan Sorab<\/strong>. Global energy investment is on track to hit US$3.4 trillion this year, a 5% rise from 2025, with solar investments attracting US$1 billion a day on average. Nuclear is also back, with 78 GW under construction across 15 countries and annual investment above US$80 billion. However, not all signals are positive, with coal supply investment reaching US$180 billion, the highest since 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montreal recently hosted Formula 1 with a new generation of sustainable fuels<\/strong>, continuing its legacy of climate leadership (Montreal Protocol, 1987; Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, 2022), writes Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, John Stackhouse, who was at the high-but-sustainable-octane event. It was part of F1\u2019s new fuels standard this season targeting net zero by 2030. The cars ran on 100% Advanced Sustainable Fuel, with Team Mercedes winning the Canadian Grand Prix using fuel developed by partner Petronas. The sustainability initiative extends beyond fuel: support crews travelled via cargo planes using sustainable aviation fuels, and cars feature enhanced efficiency designs. Montreal also recently hosted the FIA Sustainable Innovation Series<\/a> exploring how AI and technology drive efficiency gains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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This is Canada\u2019s hottest climate tech<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Sarah Goodman, the wildfire crisis hits close to home. Almost everyone in British Columbia now knows someone who\u2019s been evacuated from their home due to wildfires, said Vancouver-based Goodman, who leads NorthX, the B.C. firm that\u2019s identified wildfire as a strategic sector to deploy \u201chard\u201d climate solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The firm, backed by federal and provincial governments and Shell, has invested $5.5 million in wildfire tech, including a fresh $2.2 million round in three promising startups. This year’s wildfire season is already ravaging parts of B.C. and Alberta, as temperatures recently hit 23.9 degrees in Vancouver\u2014breaking a 128-year-old May record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildfires both result from, and accelerate, climate change. Hotter weather turns forests into tinderboxes, sparking economic and environmental disasters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n