Energy statistics, May 2024
Released: 2024-07-31
23.7 million cubic metres
May 2024
7.3% 
(12-month change)
9.6 million cubic metres
May 2024
-4.4% 
(12-month change)
655.3 million gigajoules
May 2024
7.4%
(12-month change)
44.3 million megawatt-hours
May 2024
-7.6%
(12-month change)
Production of primary energy increased 4.6% to 1.9 million terajoules in May on the strength of crude oil and natural gas. Secondary energy production fell 4.0% due to a decline in refined petroleum products.
For more information on energy in Canada, including production, consumption, international trade, and much more, please visit the Canadian Centre for Energy Information portal and follow #energynews on social media.
Canada returns to being a net electricity exporter in May
Following three consecutive months of electricity imports surpassing exports, Canada returned to being a net electricity exporter in May. Nevertheless, exports of electricity to the United States were down 60.7% year over year to 1.9 million megawatt-hours (MWh), just slightly higher than imports (+65.6% to 1.7 million MWh).
Chart 1
Canadian imports and exports of electricity
Canadian electricity generation fell 7.6% year over year to 44.3 million MWh in May. Hydroelectric generation (-12.8% to 25.2 million MWh) accounted for most of the overall decline, as ongoing drought conditions have suppressed hydroelectric generation across Canada. Nationally, Canada has not seen a year-over-year increase in hydroelectric generation since March 2023. Quebec, Canada's most prolific hydroelectric generator, has recorded year-over-year declines since January 2023, while British Columbia, Canada's second-largest producer, has seen just one modest increase (January 2024) since December 2022.
Chart 2
Quebec and British Columbia hydroelectric generation, year-over-year absolute change
Nuclear generation in Canada was also down in May 2024 (-18.1%) as Ontario's Bruce and New Brunswick's Point Lepreau nuclear generating stations continued to undergo planned maintenance which began in April.
May's decline in total electricity generation was partially offset by increases from combustible fuels (+11.2% to 9.9 million MWh) and wind (+7.8% to 3.3 million MWh).
Crude oil production continues to rise
Production of crude oil and equivalent products rose 7.3% to 23.7 million cubic metres in May 2024 due to a more intensive spring 2023 turnaround. The increase also reflected the change in production levels compared to May 2023, when the threat of forest fires disrupted production. This was the eighth consecutive monthly year-over-year increase in production.
Chart 3
Crude oil production
Oil sands extraction was up 6.5% year over year to 15.1 million cubic metres in May 2024, driven by crude bitumen production (+13.4% to 10.1 million cubic metres). Partially offsetting the overall gain was a 5.0% decline in synthetic crude production as planned maintenance was underway at several upgraders in May.
The newly expanded Trans Mountain Pipeline began operation in May 2024, transporting crude oil and refined petroleum products from Edmonton, Alberta to the port of Burnaby, British Columbia. This expansion nearly triples the capacity of the existing pipeline built in 1953, opening more Canadian crude oil for export to the global market.
Production and exports of natural gas rise relative to one year ago
Production of marketable natural gas climbed 7.4% year over year in May 2024 to 655.3 million gigajoules. In May 2023, natural gas production was reduced due to forest fires across Alberta. On a month-over-month basis, the average daily production was down 3.2% in May 2024.
Chart 4
Canadian natural gas production
Total deliveries of natural gas to Canadian consumers rose 6.1% to 361.9 million gigajoules in May. Industrial consumption (+7.6%) increased year over year for the 15th consecutive month while the commercial and institutional (-1.7%) and residential (-1.6%) sectors edged down. Industrial consumption includes natural gas used for electricity generation and crude oil production.
Exports of natural gas to the United States rose 8.4% year over year to 261.8 million gigajoules in May. Like production, exports were also restrained by forest fires in May 2023.
Production and consumption of refined petroleum products down in May
Production of refined petroleum products declined 4.4% year over year in May 2024 to 9.6 million cubic metres. Finished motor gasoline (-3.2%) led the decline, followed by distillate fuel oil (-3.4%) and kerosene-type jet fuel (-9.1%).
Similarly, consumption of refined petroleum products was down 2.3% to 8.7 million cubic metres in May, due largely to distillate fuel oil (-5.5%) and finished motor gasoline (-3.9%).
Chart 5
Production and consumption of finished petroleum products
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Note to readers
The survey programs that support the "Energy statistics" release include:
- Crude oil and natural gas (survey number 2198; tables 25-10-0036-01, 25-10-0055-01 and 25-10-0063-01).
- Energy transportation and storage (survey number 5300; tables 25-10-0075-01 and 25-10-0077-01).
- Natural gas transmission, storage and distribution (survey numbers 2149, 5210 and 5215; tables 25-10-0057-01, 25-10-0058-01 and 25-10-0059-01).
- Refined petroleum products (survey number 2150; table 25-10-0081-01).
- Monthly Renewable Fuel and Hydrogen (survey number 5294; table 25-10-0082-01).
- Electric power statistics (survey number 2151; tables 25-10-0015-01 and 25-10-0016-01).
- Coal and coke statistics (survey numbers 2147 and 2003; tables 25-10-0045-01 and 25-10-0046-01).
The consolidated energy statistics table (25-10-0079-01) presents monthly data on primary and secondary energy by fuel type (crude oil, natural gas, electricity, coal, etc.) in terajoules and supply and demand characteristics (production, exports, imports, etc.) for Canada. The table uses data from a variety of survey and administrative sources. For more information, please consult the Consolidated Energy Statistics Table: User Guide.
Data are subject to revisions. Energy survey data and other supporting data are generally revised on a quarterly basis to reflect new information provided by respondents and updates to administrative data. Historical revisions will also be processed periodically.
Definitions, data sources and methods for each survey program are available under the respective survey number.
The Energy Statistics Program relies on data collected from respondents and administrative sources.
Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted.
Occasionally, data from Environment and Climate Change Canada are referenced by the Energy Statistics Program using Cooling Degree Days (CDDs) or Heating Degree Days (HDDs) as a measure of temperature. CDDs reflect the relationship between outdoor temperatures and the need to cool indoors to maintain room temperature. As temperatures outside rise, the number of CDDs increases. HDDs are the opposite and reflect the need to heat indoors to maintain room temperature. As temperatures outside fall, the number of HDDs increases.
Contact information
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