On 2026-04-12, the Government of Canada announced the launch of the Energy and Electricity Sector Workforce Alliance to address labor shortages and skills gaps in the sector. ^[1] Alberta will begin charging a $14 recycling fee on all new solar panels starting next month to fund the development of North America's first solar-panel recycling program. ^[2] Patty Hajdu, the Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister responsible for the Federal Agency for Economic Development for Northern Ontario, stated that the new alliance is a crucial step to ensure the future energy supply of Canada. ^[3] The alliance will be led by Electrical Power Canada with support from the Canadian Energy Council and the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. ^[4] The initiative aims to address critical shortages in skilled trades such as heavy vehicle mechanics and industrial technicians to support growth in liquefied natural gas and clean energy technologies. ^[5] RJ Sigurdson confirmed that the money from the fee will not go to government coffers but will instead be used to fund the development of the recycling program. ^[6] RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Affordability and Utilities, stated that the $14-a-panel charge would help keep solar panels out of landfills when they reach the end of their lives decades from now. ^[7] The recycling fee is expected to add roughly $1-million in costs to the average renewable project, according to analysis from Business Renewables Centre-Canada. ^[8]