Natural Resources Canada has renewed its support for the Energy Modelling Hub (EMH) activities for a further four years beginning, providing $5 million to strengthen Canada鈥檚 capacity for transparent, evidence-based energy, climate and energy transition policy development and planning. The new mandate, Reinforcing Canadian Energy Modelling Capacities: Enhancing Tools and Expertise for Canada鈥檚 Electricity and Renewable Energy Sector, will be headquartered at the University of Calgary and delivered through a four-institution consortium: the University of Calgary, 91亚色, Polytechnique Montr茅al and the University of Victoria.

The four-year project is led by Associate Professor Blake Shaffer from the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, Professor Mark Winfield from the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at 91亚色, Associate Professor Madeleine McPherson from the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria, and Professor Normand Mousseau from the Institut de l鈥櫭﹏ergie Trottier at Polytechnique Montr茅al.

The renewed funding advances NRCan鈥檚 Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program鈥檚 (SREPs鈥�) capacity building objectives. EMH supports these objectives by providing a national platform for enhanced collaboration and convening to connect policymakers, modellers and other stakeholders working on Canada鈥檚 clean-energy transition.

Through three targeted capacity-building activities, EMH addresses the real needs of end-users, fostering inclusivity, generating economic and social benefits, and supporting Canada鈥檚 shift toward a decarbonized, sustainable, affordable, reliable and equitable energy system. This includes strengthening open-source modelling tools, improving access to high-quality open data, and expanding user-centred knowledge sharing and training.

The renewed mandate positions EMH to build a pan-Canadian network of modellers, policymakers and experts working together to guide the transformation of Canada鈥檚 energy systems in the directions of decarbonization and sustainability. By linking analytical capacity across the country, EMH will help bridge the gap between data and policy, ensuring modelling informs responses to the most pressing energy challenges.

鈥淭his announcement demonstrates听Canada's support for energy modellers as they address challenges and develop new insights on energy technologies and systems that can help Canada unlock the full potential of听the听workers, businesses and resources we have right here at home.鈥澨�- Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson

鈥淭he University of Calgary is proud to serve as the host institution for the Energy Modelling Hub for the next four years. This is an important national institution, and its presence here reflects our longstanding leadership in energy research, policy, and innovation. We look forward to working closely with partners across the country to advance the Hub鈥檚 mission and help shape Canada鈥檚 energy future.鈥� - Associate Professor Blake Shaffer, Department of Economics, University of Calgary

鈥淭he federal government鈥檚 renewed support to the Energy Modelling Hub will reinforce EMH鈥檚 capacity building work in support of evidence-based policy-making around energy, decarbonization, sustainability and energy systems transitions in Canada.鈥� - Professor Mark Winfield, co-chair, Sustainable Sustainable Energy Initiative, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, 91亚色

鈥淭he Energy Modelling Hub provides tools and models that are essential to the Institut de l鈥櫭﹏ergie Trottier鈥檚 work at Polytechnique Montr茅al. Future editions of our Canadian Energy Outlook will greatly benefit from the expanding suite of resources now available. Beyond this, the Canadian government鈥檚 support reflects both a recognition of the strength of Canadian expertise and a commitment to amplifying its impact.鈥� - Scientific Director Normand Mousseau, Institut de l鈥櫭﹏ergie Trottier at Polytechnique Montr茅al and Professor at Universit茅 de Montr茅al

鈥淐harting Canadas energy transition is complex; modelling helps by exploring possible pathways and illuminating the most effective decisions. The EMH hosts is Canada's only open-source suite of integrated models, which together enable a comprehensive and transparent conversation about how to move forward. The highly collaborative work at the hub is a catalyst for our transition to a low-carbon, affordable, and reliable energy system.鈥� - Associate Professor Madeleine McPherson, Civil Engineer and associate director, Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria

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TORONTO, March 20, 2025 鈥� With $386,000 in funding from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through its under the , 91亚色 and its partners will evaluate the issues local governments face in adopting wildfire mitigation practices and determine how to scale up their mitigation efforts.

The project, Understanding and Improving Wildfire Mitigation Partnerships with Local Governments, which also received more than $100,000 in-kind from 91亚色, is led by 91亚色 emergency management Associate Professor of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies in collaboration with FireSmart Canada; the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources/Aviation, Forest Fires and Emergency Services; and Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. It is particularly important today as the frequency and severity of wildfires continues to rise, increasingly threatening the health and safety of communities.

"By improving our wildfire knowledge, mitigation and response strategies, we can help reduce the impact of wildfires on our homes, communities, and economies," says the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. "The federal government is providing funding to academia, not-for-profits, community leaders, and governments to advance wildfire knowledge and strengthen wildfire preparedness and risk reduction efforts across the country ahead of the 2025 wildfire season."

Although individual residents in fire-prone areas can take various measures to protect their own properties, many come up against significant obstacles, including monetary and physical demands of the tasks. Replacing a roof or making changes to structural elements of a home or building is prohibitively expensive to many, even though the measures can have a really big impact.

鈥淚t's critically important to ensure that we explore and seize every opportunity to prevent fires throughout our communities. I am very pleased to see continued funding being directed towards the project led by 91亚色, as it demonstrates a strong commitment to safeguarding lives, property, and the environment. Working together at all levels, is key to creating effective and sustainable fire prevention strategies,鈥� says the Honourable Judy Sgro, Member of Parliament for Humber River-Black Creek.

That鈥檚 where local governments have a large role to play to ensure their entire communities, towns and cities are fire ready. 鈥淭hings like fire breaks can help intercept forest fires before they arrive at the community and while they're still on public land,鈥� says Kennedy, interim director of 91亚色 Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Response, and Governance Institute (Y-EMERGE). 鈥淲e're seeing the embers from one house igniting another house and the embers from that house igniting another house, and this chain effect now largely ceases to be a forest fire or a wildland fire and is instead an urban fire.鈥�

He points out there are a bunch of known improvements that local governments can implement to reduce the vulnerability of individuals and families to potentially devastating wildfires.

Many local governments, however, have not been able to fully take advantage of the resources and funding available. This project will help to determine what supports local governments need to implement wildfire mitigation measures, such as encouraging the construction of more resilient neighbourhoods and building new developments with wider roads.

鈥淲e are looking at current uptake of residential mitigation by local governments and how to expand it, get people working together on this and ensure programs are designed in a way that makes it as easy as possible for communities and regions, cities and towns to tackle this really urgent problem,鈥� says Kennedy.

Fire risk mitigation programs are designed to not only help reduce building ignition and loss but also help prevent the fire from jumping from one home or building to another, which can help save lives and property, while making it safer for firefighters.

The project will look at the social, political, institutional and resourcing barriers; strategies, programs or interventions to overcome barriers; partnerships with local governments; and best practices for establishing, monitoring and evaluating ongoing relationships.

The second piece of the project includes creating interventions to improve the uptake of fire mitigation efforts across the country and developing national surveys and case studies to gain further insights.

鈥淥ne of the goals of the project is to share what we're learning, test drive some improvements and hopefully refine those over the course of the project,鈥� says Kennedy.

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