The future Ottawa will be zero-emissions—because it has to be. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change and stay aligned with a low-carbon global economy, we must act now.
That future will run on clean energy, mostly low-carbon electricity. To make it work, we’ll need buildings that are energy-efficient and electrically powered, built or retrofitted to use as little energy as possible. We’ll also need a resilient power grid that can handle extreme weather and rising demand, and new sources of clean, local energy.
By 2050, nearly 60% of the buildings that exist today will still be standing. That means they need to be retrofitted to achieve zero emissions, while all new buildings must meet net-zero standards.
Here’s what that looks like in Ottawa:
- 327,000 homes retrofitted
- 560,000+ residential heat pumps installed
- 20% of residential roofs are equipped with solar PV
It’s a big task—but one with big benefits: Cleaner air. Lower energy bills. Healthier, more resilient homes. A power grid ready for the future. Thousands of new local green jobs. A stronger, more equitable community.