Canadian Energy Production Increased 5% in 2017

Dec 31, 2018

Primary energy production in Canada increased 5.0% in 2017 to 20,741 petajoules, following a 3.1% increase in 2016. Crude oil accounted for the largest proportion of primary energy production in Canada in 2017 at 46.4%, followed by natural gas (34.4%), primary electricity (9.0%), total coal (6.4%) and gas plant natural gas liquids (3.8%). It was the eighth consecutive year in which crude oil accounted for the largest share of primary energy production.

Exports and imports increase

Exports of Canadian energy and energy products increased 5.6% in 2017 to 13,253 petajoules. Canada exported 79.0% of its crude oil production and 46.3% of its marketable natural gas in 2017. 

Imports of energy increased 3.7% in 2017 to 3,784 petajoules. Crude oil accounted for 49.7% of imports, followed by natural gas (24.7%). 

Energy consumption rises

Canada’s energy consumption increased 2.2% to 8,231 petajoules in 2017, following a 1.8% decrease in 2016. Energy use increased in four of six sectors: industrial (+4.0%), residential (+3.4%), commercial and other institutional (+3.0%) and agriculture (+0.2%). Transportation and public administration saw a small decrease in energy use. 

Within the industrial sector, energy consumption increased in mining and oil and gas extraction (+8.3%), construction (+4.2%), forestry and logging and support activities (+1.9%) and manufacturing (+1.2%). 

Retail pump sales continued to represent the largest proportion of energy consumption in the transportation sector (63.4%), followed by road transport and urban transit (13.9%), airlines (9.9%), pipelines (6.7%), railways (3.1%) and marine (2.9%). 

Refined petroleum products (38.7%) were the main source of energy consumed in Canada in 2017, followed by natural gas (35.2%) and electricity (22.3%).

Energy consumption trends across the country

Ontario, Alberta and Quebec continued to account for the majority of energy consumed in Canada. In 2017, their combined share of total energy consumption was 73.7%. 

In 2017, seven provinces recorded increases in energy consumption compared with 2016. Alberta (+6.9%) saw the largest increase, followed by Manitoba (+3.5%), British Columbia (+2.8%), Saskatchewan (+2.5%), Nova Scotia (+1.7%), Prince Edward Island (+1.0%) and Ontario (+0.5%). 

Energy consumption decreased in three regions in 2017 compared with 2016. The largest decrease was in the territories (-13.6%), followed by New Brunswick (-5.5%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-2.6%).

Source: Statistics Canada, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/181220/dq181220e-eng.htm.

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