Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Canada
Canada: Share of electricity generation from hydropower was 52.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Canada, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Canada recorded 52.8% for share of electricity generation from hydropower in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from hydropower in Canada peaked at 66.3% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 52.8%, in 2025.
That places Canada 40th out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 66.2% | — |
| 1986 | 66.3% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 63.7% | -3.9% |
| 1988 | 60.8% | -4.6% |
| 1989 | 58.3% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 61.5% | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 60.6% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 60.8% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 60.8% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 59.3% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 59.9% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 62.0% | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 60.9% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 58.9% | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 59.7% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 56.4% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 58.2% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 57.1% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 56.5% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 58.3% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 58.0% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 58.0% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 59.4% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 60.1% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 57.9% | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 58.9% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 59.7% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 59.8% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 58.6% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 57.8% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 57.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 59.0% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 58.4% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 58.2% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 58.9% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 58.6% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 59.9% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 56.2% | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 53.9% | -4.2% |
| 2025 | 52.8% | -2.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 52.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.0%, 53.9× the median. (75 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 63.0% | 58.3% | 66.3% | 5 |
| 1990s | 60.4% | 58.9% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.1% | 56.4% | 60.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.6% | 57.8% | 59.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.7% | 52.8% | 59.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 37 New Zealand 54.8% compare
- 38 Panama 53.1% compare
- 39 French Guiana 53.1% compare
- 41 Liberia 52.6% compare
- 42 Switzerland 52.3% compare
- 43 Fiji 52.2% compare
More energy & mining data for Canada
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 6.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of electricity generation from hydropower in Canada?
- Share of electricity generation from hydropower in Canada was 52.8% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 66.3% in 1986.
- What is the lowest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.8% in 2025.
- How does Canada rank for share of electricity generation from hydropower?
- Canada ranks 40th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of electricity generation from hydropower rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity generation from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.