CECC Annual Community Energy Forum
Bringing Together Canada’s Community Energy Movement
A national gathering to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and advance community-owned energy across Canada.
Canada has set an ambitious target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and renewable energy will play a critical role in reaching that goal. But achieving a fair, effective, and community-centred energy transition requires more than technology; it requires citizen engagement, collaboration, and local leadership.
Renewable Energy Cooperatives (RECs) offer Canadians a way to actively participate in democratic, community-owned renewable energy projects. While RECs have the potential to make a significant contribution to Canada’s energy transition, research has shown that the sector has historically been small and fragmented. Scaling up these efforts and building stronger connections among co-operatives, policymakers, and citizens was deemed essential to realizing their full impact.
The CECC Annual Community Energy Forum was created to meet this need. Beginning with the Scaling Up the Impact of Renewable Energy Cooperatives in Canada Summit in Ottawa in May 2023, where REC leaders, policymakers, researchers, and advocates from across the country came together, shared insights, explored challenges and success stories, and laid the groundwork for the creation of CECC (Community Energy Cooperative Canada / Coopérative Énergétique Communautaire Canada).
This page provides an overview of the Community Energy Forum series, highlighting each year’s event and connecting to key resources, including reports, videos, and presentations. Explore past Forums to see how the conversation and collaboration across Canada’s community energy sector continues to evolve.
Community Energy Forum 2023 | Scaling the Impact of Renewable Energy Co-operatives in Canada
May 2023, St Paul University, Ottawa, ON
The inaugural summit brought together renewable energy co-operative (REC) leaders, researchers, and policymakers from across the country to explore how community-owned energy could contribute more significantly to Canada’s net-zero goals.
Participants examined the current landscape of renewable energy co-operatives in Canada, shared experiences from across the sector, and discussed the policy and market barriers limiting growth. Through panels and collaborative discussions, the event focused on identifying strategies to scale community energy initiatives and strengthen collaboration between co-operatives nationwide.
One of the most important outcomes of the summit was a shared commitment to establish a national organization that could connect and support RECs across Canada. These discussions directly led to the creation of Community Energy Cooperative Canada.
Key Highlights:
- First-ever national gathering of REC leaders, researchers, and policymakers
- Collaborative roundtables focused on scaling community energy initiatives
- Underlined the importance of a supportive public policy environment for the REC sector
- Consensus to establish Community Energy Cooperative Canada (CECC)
Resources:
Funders:
Community Energy Forum 2024 | Moving Forward Together
June 2024, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS (Hybrid)
The 2024 forum brought together community energy practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and students to continue building momentum for renewable energy co-operatives in Canada. Participants explored practical strategies for strengthening the sector, including financing co-operative projects, navigating policy challenges, and showcasing emerging research in community energy.
Throughout the two-day forum, participants shared knowledge, built connections, and discussed opportunities for CECC to support the growth of community-owned energy projects nationwide.
This event also marked the inaugural Annual General Meeting of the newly formed CECC.
Key Highlights:
- CECC Inaugural AGM, where bylaws were approved, and the founding board reaffirmed
- 90 participants joined the Forum, including 39 in person and 51 online from across Canada
- A student research showcase highlighting new community energy research from Dalhousie University
- Keynote on community energy pathways, plus panels on financing, innovation, and future policy for community energy in Canada.
Resources:
- 2024 Report – coming soon!
- 2024 Forum Session Recordings – coming soon!
Funders:
Community Energy Forum 2025 | Pathways for Community Energy in Canada
August 2025, Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC (Hybrid)
The 2025 Community Energy Forum featured a series of high-level discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions focused on advancing community energy systems in Canada.
The program included a panel of renewable energy co-operative leaders addressing on-the-ground challenges and regulatory barriers. Participants also engaged in an international research session examining community energy policies and programs across six countries, as well as a dedicated panel on Indigenous-led community energy initiatives highlighting culturally grounded energy solutions. The forum further showcased presentations from Canadian researchers and the Accelerating Community Energy Transitions (ACET) project team, sharing emerging research and exploring future opportunities for community-led energy systems.
The AGM provided an opportunity for CECC members to reflect on the organization’s progress and set priorities for the coming year, including electing new board members and completing the first full board slate in CECC’s history.
Key Highlights:
- 62 participants attended, including 36 in person and 28 online
- Keynote presentation by Dr. Anna Berka on community energy developments in Australia and comparative insights for Canada
- Remarks on community energy from Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada
Resources:
- 2025 Report – coming soon!
- 2025 Forum Session Recordings
Funders:
Community Energy Forum 2026 | Igniting Community-Owned Energy
Oct 2026, Concordia University, Montreal, QC (Hybrid)
Hosted at Concordia University in Montreal, this bilingual forum will focus on strengthening the community energy sector, sharing practical knowledge, and exploring strategies to scale renewable energy co-operatives as key partners in Canada’s energy transition.
Through workshops, discussions, and collaborative sessions, participants will explore financing models, governance strategies, policy opportunities, and reconciliation in action through Indigenous-led energy initiatives. The forum will also highlight practical pathways for developing new renewable energy co-operatives in Quebec and across Canada.
What to Expect
- Keynote presentation (open to a wider audience) – details coming soon!
- A Roadmap to Resilience for Community Energy in Canada – presenting findings from NRCan policy workshops and applied research outputs, with a focus on next steps for the sector
- Five thematic workshops focused on scaling community energy co-operatives in Canada, addressing sector growth, financing, governance, and impact
- Bilingual workshop on forming renewable energy co-operatives in Quebec
- Networking opportunities with policymakers, researchers, and community energy leaders from across Canada and beyond
Resources:
- Contact & Inquiries
- 2026 Event Schedule – coming soon!
Funders:
This event is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund Implementation Readiness Stream
Ce projet est financé en partie par le volet Préparation à la mise en œuvre du Fonds pour une économie à faibles émissions de carbone du gouvernement du Canada.
