Merran Smith

Merran Smith is a fellow at Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue and the executive director of Clean Energy Canada, where she advocates for effective climate policy and works to advance Canada’s shift to clean and renewable energy systems.

Articles by this author

Canadian mines and the clean energy transition

When many Canadians hear the term “clean energy job,” they probably imagine workers designing devices in an engineering lab, manufacturing solar panels or assembling a wind turbine. Sectors like mining are rarely top of mind …

Carbon cents and sensibility on Ontario’s climate change action plan

With the release of the Ontario government's full climate action plan, we should dispel any lingering fear or uneasiness and replace it with a sense of accomplishment. Ontario is proposing is a sensible strategy to …

Could Renewables Foil B.C.’s LNG Dream?

In energy markets, a few years is a lifetime. Fast fluctuations in supply or demand—among myriad other factors—can send oil and gas prices skyrocketing, or into the cellar. And the results can be dramatic: consider Shell, …

Delivering the goods in Paris

We’re now past the halfway point of the international climate negotiations in Paris. There’s much optimism that a strong agreement will be reached, and clean energy is adding to that sense of momentum. A strong agreement …

Faire la transition à l’énergie propre

En décembre dernier, la plupart des premiers ministres des provinces et territoires, ainsi que et le premier ministre du Canada, ont adopté un plan national de lutte contre les changements climatiques, qui vise à réduire …

Making the shift to clean electricity

Last December, most premiers and the prime minister adopted a landmark national climate plan to cut carbon pollution and spur clean growth. For Canada’s clean energy sector, a national climate plan is incredibly welcome. It …

Steering toward a North American electric auto pact

When the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada got together in Ottawa in June, it was Barack Obama’s speech to Parliament — and the running attire of the other two — that grabbed …

Stronger energy-saving measures just makes sense

A win for our economy, consumers and the climate? It may sound like an elusive unicorn, but energy efficiency checks all of the above boxes. Although they are under-reported, measures to help homes, small businesses …

This climate summit is not like the others

United States Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a barnburner of a speech at the international climate conference in Paris yesterday. His remarks drew a standing ovation from the room, but also offered something more: …