In August 2025, community energy leaders from across Canada and beyond gathered in Victoria, British Columbia, for the 3rd Annual Community Energy Forum and CECC Annual General Meeting — bringing together renewable energy cooperatives, researchers, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, and community advocates united by a shared vision: a more democratic energy future.
Hosted at the beautiful Royal Roads University, the 2025 Forum marked an important moment for Canada’s growing community energy movement. Over three days of connection, learning, and collaboration, participants explored the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of community-led energy while strengthening relationships and building the knowledge, tools, and partnerships needed to accelerate the transition to locally owned renewable energy systems.
Sharing knowledge, building solutions
The Forum created space for meaningful conversations about the realities facing renewable energy cooperatives and the broader community energy sector. Sessions explored critical topics, including governance approaches, policy pathways, Indigenous-led energy initiatives, international best practices, and strategies to build participation in the energy transition.
Participants heard directly from leaders working on the front lines of community energy, examined lessons from international examples, and explored emerging research to strengthen community ownership models across Canada.
Highlights from the 2025 Forum included:
- A keynote presentation from Dr. Anna Berka, Lead Researcher at Community Power Agency and Senior Lecturer at Massey University, sharing insights from Australia on supporting community shared ownership in the renewable energy sector.
- Remarks from Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, on the role of community energy in Canada’s clean energy future.
- A panel discussion featuring renewable energy co-operative leaders examining current challenges, regulatory barriers, and opportunities for growth.
- International perspectives on community energy policies and practices from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and Denmark.
- A dedicated session highlighting Indigenous experiences in community energy and the importance of culturally grounded approaches to energy development.
- Presentations from Canadian researchers and the Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) project team exploring emerging opportunities for community-led energy systems.
The Forum welcomed 62 participants, including 36 attendees in person and 28 participants online, reflecting the growing national interest in strengthening community ownership and participation in Canada’s energy transition.
Strengthening a national community energy network
Beyond the sessions and presentations, the Forum provided a valuable opportunity for members and partners to connect, share experiences, and build relationships across provinces and communities.
The CECC Annual General Meeting, held alongside the Forum, provided members with an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s progress, discuss priorities for the year ahead, and elect new board members — marking the completion of CECC’s first full board slate in its history.
As Canada’s national federation for community energy cooperatives, CECC is proud to create spaces where communities can learn from one another, collaborate on shared challenges, and advance practical solutions for a more equitable and resilient energy future.
Thank you to our contributors and partners
The success of the 2025 Community Energy Forum was made possible through the contributions of many speakers, facilitators, researchers, partners, volunteers, and participants who helped shape the conversations and advance the work. We extend our sincere appreciation to all who contributed their knowledge, experience, and energy to the Forum.
We are also grateful to our partner organizations for their ongoing commitment to advancing community-led energy solutions:
- NorQuest College
- Royal Roads University
- Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives
- Accelerating Community Energy Transformation
This work was made possible with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada through the Low Carbon Economy Fund Implementation Readiness Stream.
Continue exploring the 2025 Forum
The conversations from the 2025 Community Energy Forum continue. We are pleased to share the following resources:
Whether you attended in Victoria, joined virtually, or are discovering these resources for the first time, we invite you to explore the discussions, ideas, and lessons emerging from this growing national movement.
Together, we are building the foundation for a future in which communities across Canada have the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to shape their own energy systems.
Join us in Montréal for the 2026 Community Energy Forum
The conversation continues in 2026. We invite community energy leaders, cooperatives, researchers, policymakers, and partners from across Canada to join us for the 4th Annual Community Energy Forum taking place October 8–9, 2026, at Concordia University in Montréal, Québec.
Under the theme “Igniting Community-Owned Energy,” the 2026 Forum will build on the momentum of previous gatherings, creating space for deeper collaboration, practical learning, and collective action. Through workshops, discussions, and networking opportunities, participants will explore the pathways needed to grow community ownership and strengthen sector capacity.
We look forward to welcoming our growing national community – in person and online – as we continue building the movement for community-led energy across Canada.
