Image: Greg McLean, Calgary Centre MP
Canada needs more electricity, and one bill before Parliament offers an innovative way to get some of it. Calgary Centre MP Greg McLean has introduced Bill C-269, which would amend the Income Tax Act to make waste-heat-to-power projects eligible for federal investment tax credits already available to other energy technologies.
Large industrial facilities lose between 30 and 50 per cent of the heat they produce in normal operations. Technology already exists to capture some of that heat and convert it to electricity. What has been missing is a tax credit to make those projects financially viable, putting waste heat on the same footing as hydrogen, carbon capture, and other technologies the federal government already supports through investment tax credits.
The result, if passed: more electricity, no new fuel, no new emissions. It’s a practical example of the kind of innovation engaged Canadian women have consistently told us matters, and it’s adding to Canada’s energy mix without trading off reliability or affordability. Bill C-269 is a private member’s bill so it may be more difficult for it to successfully pass through Parliament, but the idea is one to watch.