Facts about Atlantic Canada’s Energy Sector:
- The Atlantic provinces have more affordable industrial energy rates, on average, than the six New England States (except Vermont).
To better understand energy costs in the four Atlantic provinces relative to Quebec and the six New England states, the Atlantica Centre for Energy calculated recent average annual costs for natural gas, gasoline and diesel (combined), and electricity. To determine the rankings, prices for each category were compared against the lower price in the region. The energy cost rankings are broken into customer classes (residential, commercial and industrial).
For example, residential electricity costs were $0.09 per kWh in Quebec (lowest), compared to $0.42 per kWh in New Hampshire (highest). Quebec was then given a relative score of 1.00 for residential electricity rates, and Massachusetts was given 4.66.
The aggregate rate in New England was more, on average, because of higher electricity costs.
Sources:
- S. Energy Information Administration, Independent Statistics and Analysis, Natural Gas Prices (Dollars per Thousand Cubic Feet), Annual, 2022: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_pri_sum_a_EPG0_PIN_DMcf_a.htm
- Bank of Canada, Annual Exchange Rates, United States dollars to Canadian dollars, 2022 average: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/exchange/annual-average-exchange-rates/
- Hydro Quebec, 2023 Comparison of Electricity Prices in Major North American Cities, Rates in effect April 1, 2023: https://www.hydroquebec.com/data/documents-donnees/pdf/comparison-electricity-prices.pdf
- Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0001-01 Monthly average , Monthly average retail prices for gasoline and fuel oil, by geography, July 2023: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810000101
- Canada Energy Regulator, Canada’s Energy Future 2023: Energy Supply and Demand Projections to 2050, end-use prices, current measures scenario, 2022: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/7643c948-d661-4d90-ab91-e9ac732fc737/resource/e4f7a7f0-a925-4b00-be09-c931bcf6168b
- S. Energy Information Administration, Petroleum & Other Liquids, Weekly Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices (USD per Gallon), New England (PADD 1A), Monthly, July 2023: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_dcus_r1x_m.htm
- S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State, December 2022 (Cents per Kilowatthour): https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a
Notes:
- Ranking calculations reflect average prices (different units) for electricity, natural gas, and (gasoline + diesel) from across eastern Canada and New England. The average prices are relative to the lowest baseline cost, for residential, commercial and industrial categories. All prices listed are in CAD.
- The average rate costs calculations to not necessarily translate to average energy costs. Users will not necessary use electricity, gasoline, diesel, or natural gas equally.
- Data obtained reflects the latest available data, where practical, and includes calculations from 2022 and 2023.
- Some data remains unclear whether taxes and/or delivery fees are included.
- Gasoline rates in Canadian provinces reflected the price in the largest municipality.
- Natural gas prices were excluded from the calculations for Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island as there is no direct comparison for cost delivered by pipeline vs. truck).