Energy supply and demand, 2016

Released: 2017-11-14

Primary energy production in Canada rose 2.9% in 2016 to 19,709 petajoules, following a 1.2% increase in 2015.

Crude oil accounted for the largest proportion of primary energy production in Canada in 2016 at 45.1%, followed by natural gas (35.0%), primary electricity (9.3%), total coal (6.8%) and gas plant natural gas liquids (3.9%).

Crude oil has accounted for the largest share of primary energy production for seven consecutive years.

Exports and imports rise

Exports of Canadian energy and energy products rose 2.4% in 2016 to 12,507 petajoules.

Canada exported 80.4% of its crude oil production and 46.4% of its natural gas production in 2016.

Imports of energy increased 6.1% in 2016 to 3,659 petajoules. Crude oil accounted for 50.8% of imports, followed by natural gas (21.6%).

Energy consumption declines

Canada's energy consumption decreased 0.8% in 2016 to 7,953 petajoules, following a 0.8% decline in 2015.

Energy use increased in three of six sectors: public administration (+3.1%), industrial (+1.9%) and agriculture (+1.0%). Residential (-6.8%), commercial and other institutional (-1.3%), and transportation (-0.5%) sectors saw lower energy use.

Within the industrial sector, energy consumption rose in forestry and logging and support activities (+17.1%), construction (+10.5%), mining and oil and gas extraction (+2.3%) and manufacturing (+0.8%).

Retail pump sales continued to account for the largest proportion of energy consumption in the transportation sector (63.2%), followed by road transport and urban transit (14.2%), airlines (9.6%), pipelines (7.1%), railways (3.1%) and marine (2.8%).

Refined petroleum products (39.8%) were the main source of energy consumed in Canada in 2016, followed by natural gas (33.8%) and electricity (22.7%).

Energy consumption trends across the country

Ontario, Alberta and Quebec continued to account for the majority of energy consumed in Canada. In 2016, their combined share of total energy consumption was 73.4%.

Energy consumption was higher in six provinces in 2016 compared with a year earlier. British Columbia (+3.9%) saw the greatest rise, followed by Prince Edward Island (+3.7%), New Brunswick (+2.9%), Manitoba (+0.8%), Newfoundland and Labrador (+0.5%) and Alberta (+0.3%).

Energy consumption decreased in five regions in 2016 compared with 2015. The largest decrease was in Nova Scotia (-3.3%), followed by Ontario (-3.0%), Saskatchewan (-2.6%), the territories (-2.5%) and Quebec (-1.1%).

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).