What Canada’s last energy transition can teach us about the next one | CBC Radio
The last major energy transition — when Canadians switched from
using fuel sources like wood to relying on fossil fuels and
hydroelectricity — transformed the country.
using fuel sources like wood to relying on fossil fuels and
hydroelectricity — transformed the country.
It drove economic
growth, reshaped cities and altered the rhythms of daily life. It also
had devastating consequences for the environment.
But although
that transition created modern life as we know it, historian Ruth
Sandwell says Canada lagged behind other industrialized countries in
making the switch. In fact, many Canadians were suspicious of new energy
sources and wanted to stick with what they knew.