Demand-Side Management
Demand-side management (DSM) is a core part of Canada’s energy efficiency system.
Through utility programs and practices, DSM helps households and businesses use less energy to achieve the same or better results, and to shift electricity use away from peak times. This lowers bills, cuts emissions, improves comfort and reliability, and reduces the need for costly new generation and grid infrastructure.
Put simply: DSM turns energy savings into a resource — one that’s often cheaper to secure than building new supply and essential to an affordable, reliable net-zero transition.
Research on demand-side management in Canada
Efficiency Canada is the leading independent DSM researcher and benchmarking body in Canada. Since 2018, we’ve tracked and compared utility performance across provinces through our Provincial Scorecard and DSM Programs reporting, surfacing best practices and gaps in how DSM is designed, funded, and evaluated. Our work translates complex regulatory and program evidence into clear, practical insights that utilities, governments, regulators, interveners, and other decision-makers can use to strengthen DSM outcomes across the country.
News and op-eds on demand-side management in Canada
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