Energy supply and demand, 2023
Released: 2024-11-21
Canada produced and exported more energy products in 2023, while domestic demand edged down, as warmer weather during the heating season contributed to lower levels of energy consumption.
Primary energy production increases
Primary energy production in Canada increased 1.3% in 2023 to 22 951 petajoules. This followed a gain of 4.1% in 2022.
Crude oil (49.1%) accounted for the largest proportion of primary energy production in Canada in 2023, followed by natural gas (33.2%), primary electricity (7.6%), total coal (5.5%) and gas plant natural gas liquids (4.2%).
Exports increase, while imports decrease
Exports of Canadian energy and energy products increased 1.3% in 2023 to 14 781 petajoules.
Canada exported 79.9% of its crude oil production and 41.9% of its marketable natural gas.
Imports of energy declined 1.4% to 3 720 petajoules. Crude oil (46.5%) accounted for the largest share of imports, followed by natural gas (29.0%).
Energy consumption declines
Canada's energy consumption decreased 1.1% to 8 485 petajoules in 2023, following a 4.1% increase in 2022.
In 2023, energy use decreased in four sectors: the residential sector (-5.5%) saw the largest decrease, followed by the commercial and other institutional (-2.7%), public administration (-2.3%) and industrial (-0.8%) sectors. Meanwhile, energy use increased in the transportation (+1.7%) and agriculture (+0.9%) sectors.
Within the industrial sector, energy consumption decreased in the forestry and logging and support activities (-3.9%), construction (-2.2%) and mining and oil and gas extraction (-1.6%) subsectors. Energy consumption was unchanged in the manufacturing subsector.
Retail pump sales (60.6%) continued to represent the largest share of energy consumption in the transportation sector, followed by road transport and urban transit (13.5%), airlines (11.5%), pipelines (8.4%), railways (3.4%) and marine (2.5%).
Natural gas (37.6%) surpassed refined petroleum products (35.6%) as the main source of energy consumed in Canada for the fourth year in a row, followed by electricity (23.5%).
Energy consumption trends across the country
Ontario, Alberta and Quebec continued to account for the majority of energy consumed in Canada. Combined, their share of total energy consumption was 73.7% in 2023.
Energy consumption was down in nine provinces in 2023. New Brunswick (-4.1%) saw the greatest decrease, followed by Manitoba (-2.4%) and Alberta (-2.3%). Energy consumption was unchanged in Prince Edward Island.
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Note to readers
Energy survey data and administrative sources are subject to revisions to reflect new or updated information. Historical revisions include the following series:
- Data for 2022 have been revised.
- Petroleum coke data have been revised back to 2005. Revisions include updated marketable production at upgraders to account for deliveries and exports, as well as updated density and energy conversion factors.
- Producer consumption data for some fuels have been revised back to 2005.
- Data on natural gas consumption in the total mining and oil and gas extraction sector in Alberta have been revised back to 2011.
- Data on natural gas consumption in the iron and steel manufacturing sector in Quebec have been revised back to 2020.
For information on concepts and methodology, please consult the Report on Energy Supply and Demand in Canada: Explanatory Information.
For more information on energy in Canada, including production, consumption, international trade and much more, please visit the Canadian Centre for Energy Information website and follow #energynews on social media.
Contact information
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