Blueprint for a People-Powered Grid: Introducing the Roadmap for Resilience
- John Kirkwood
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
At OREC, we’ve always believed that the energy transition isn’t just about swapping out fuels; it’s about swapping out the power structure. For over a decade, we’ve been proving that communities can—and should—own the electrons they use.
But to go from "local success story" to "national standard," we needed a plan.
Today, we are proud to share a major milestone from our partners at Community Energy Cooperative Canada (CECC). As a founding member of CECC, OREC has been working alongside co-ops from coast to coast to tackle the regulatory and financial hurdles that keep community energy on the sidelines.
The Gist: A People-Powered Grid
While the ultimate goal is a comprehensive Roadmap for every province, this initial release—an International Scan Summary—is the crucial first step. It’s a clear-eyed look at community energy experiences in six countries, illustrating how co-operative ownership can move from the margins to the mainstream.
It’s smart, it’s actionable, and it’s a bit of a "how-to" for policymakers who want a grid that is as resilient as the people it serves.
Why It Matters
Scale: It gathers global lessons to help replicate the co-op model across every Canadian province.
Resilience: It focuses on distributed energy—meaning if one part of the grid falters, the community stays powered.
Equity: It ensures that the profits of the green transition stay in your pockets, not just on a corporate balance sheet.
We’ve come a long way from the kitchen table where OREC began. This international scan provides the foundation for the next ten years of community energy to be even more transformative than the last.
Stay tuned—we will keep you posted as the Ontario Road Map specifically takes shape.
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