CANADIAN
SOLAR
INDUSTRIES
ASSOCIATION
Campaign to Open
Canadian
Solar Markets
Strategic Project
Highlights
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
Develop supportive policy and regulatory frameworks
and programs for solar energy in Canadian markets
outside of Ontario.
Contribution Required
for Participation
$
5,000
Total Project Budget
$
130,000
Time Frame
July 2015 to June 2016
INDUSTRY CONTEXT
Canada has developed a globally competitive solar industry largely due to Ontario’s Green Energy Act.
The Ontario market represents over 99% of the grid-tied solar PV in Canada today. Several provinces
and territories are developing programs to specifically encourage the adoption of solar energy and
represent significant opportunities for further growth.
SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES
This 3-year project will aim to open up new markets to help Canadian solar companies grow and prosper.
Research will be conducted to create a baseline assessment of the solar energy market in each province.
These markets will then be prioritized based on market potential, current opportunities and barriers
to growth in order to prioritize policy and market development activities. CanSIA will scale activities
and be responsive based on political and other developments.
DELIVERABLES
COMPLETION DATE
Market research to provide baseline assessment of opportunities to
open new solar markets across Canada and prioritization thereof
July to
November 2015
Creation and initiation of Market Development strategy
December to
January 2015
Advocacy and Government Relations Strategy and Implementation Plan
February 2015
Advocacy outreach campaign (Target Market Provincial Governments)
March to June 2015
PROJECT RESOURCES
The majority of project resources will be directed towards policy and market research. Government
relations and communications expertise are also required to develop an advocacy strategy and implementation plan to ensure the industry develops and maintains relationships with applicable provincial
governments throughout Canada.
PROJECT-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES
Participants will have the opportunity to inform and tailor the Campaign to Open Canadian Solar Markets
to ensure it aligns with contributing company priorities and the broader needs of the industry. Partici
pants will receive regular briefings on market intelligence and will be asked to participate on an as
needed basis in meetings with decision-makers from both government, crown-utilities and regulators.
ALL STRATEGIC PROJECTS
Contributing companies will be recognized as either CanSIA Influencers or members of the President’s
Circle (if contributing to all projects) and will sit on project advisory committees. Project advisory committees
will meet in person or by teleconference once per month, in addition to regular email communications.
CanSIA will chair each initiative and provide a project manager to ensure that deliverables are met to the
satisfaction of the advisory committee within each project’s timelines. Project decisions will be made through
a consensus-based approach.
Each project will have a budget exclusively funded through contributions from eligible member companies.
This budget will be managed independently of other Strategic Projects and from CanSIA’s core operations
budget. Contributions will be spent on research, consultants and communications materials as required to
achieve the project’s deliverables and objectives.
Transparency will be a major priority and critical to the ethical and effective use of member project
contributions. CanSIA will provide monthly project budget updates summarizing the revenues and
expenses along with a brief description of the status of the budget in relation to the project deliverables
and objectives. Any remaining funds will be returned to the contributing companies or reallocated to other
projects at the discretion of each contributor.
To learn more about the opportunity to participate in this and other CanSIA Strategic Projects,
please contact: Lisa Hatina, Business Development and Member Relations Manager, [email protected]
613-736-9077 Ext.230 or toll-free 1-866-522-6742 Ext.230