For decades, rooftop solar has helped homeowners and businesses reduce electricity costs while generating clean, renewable energy. However, millions of Canadians, including renters, condominium owners, strata residents, and organizations without suitable rooftops have been unable to participate.
Community solar is changing that.
Across Canada, utilities and provincial governments are introducing innovative programs that allow multiple customers to benefit from a shared solar installation. Instead of installing panels on every home or business, participants receive the benefits of electricity generated by a community solar project, helping make renewable energy more accessible and affordable.
Canada’s changing energy landscape is creating unprecedented opportunities for community solar. Electricity demand is expected to grow significantly over the coming decades as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, data centres, and industrial electrification reshape the country’s energy needs. Canada’s 2026 National Electricity Strategy calls for major investments in renewable energy and grid infrastructure to help meet this growing demand. (Reuters)
What Is Community Solar?
Community solar allows multiple customers to benefit from electricity generated by a shared solar installation. Rather than installing individual rooftop systems, participants subscribe to or share a centrally located solar project and receive credits or financial benefits based on the electricity it produces. This approach expands renewable energy access to customers who have traditionally been unable to participate, including:
- Renters
- Condominium and strata residents
- Municipalities
- First Nations
- Businesses
- Schools and universities
- Community organizations
- Properties with unsuitable rooftops
By removing many of the barriers associated with rooftop solar, community solar creates a more inclusive pathway to clean energy. Although community solar is still emerging in Canada, several provinces are introducing innovative approaches that improve renewable energy accessibility.
British Columbia
BC Hydro continues to expand renewable energy participation through its Community Generation program, allowing multiple customers to collectively participate in shared renewable energy projects. Community generation projects that offset electricity demand may also qualify for eligible incentive programs.
In addition, BC Hydro introduced its new Self-Generation framework on July 1, 2026, replacing the previous net-metering program for new customers while continuing to support customer-owned solar and battery storage. Residential, commercial, Indigenous, and social housing customers may also qualify for solar and battery rebates through BC Hydro’s updated programs. (BC Hydro). Together, these initiatives are creating new opportunities for municipalities, Indigenous communities, strata developments, commercial properties, and community organizations to participate in renewable energy.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia remains Canada’s leading example of subscription-based community solar. The province’s Community Solar Program allows municipalities, First Nations, businesses, co-operatives, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations to develop community solar gardens and sell subscriptions to electricity customers. Participants can benefit from renewable energy without installing solar panels on their own property, making clean energy accessible to renters, condominium owners, and others who cannot install rooftop systems. The program continues to operate in 2026. Nova Scotia_Community-solar
Alberta
Alberta has taken a different approach through the Solar Club. Rather than a community ownership model, Solar Club allows eligible solar owners to switch between electricity rates based on seasonal production, helping maximize the value of excess electricity exported to the grid. While it is not a community solar program, it demonstrates another innovative approach to improving solar affordability and encouraging renewable energy adoption.
Ontario
Ontario has introduced community net metering through designated demonstration projects. Although not yet a province-wide subscription model, these projects demonstrate how multiple customers can share the benefits of a single renewable energy installation and may help shape future community energy initiatives.
Community solar is about much more than generating clean electricity. It expands access to renewable energy by reducing many of the barriers associated with traditional rooftop solar while creating opportunities for shared ownership and local investment.
Benefits include:
- Greater access to renewable energy
- Lower barriers to participation
- Reduced long-term electricity costs
- Increased grid resilience through distributed generation
- New opportunities for municipalities and Indigenous communities
- Local investment in clean energy infrastructure
Community solar also supports a more decentralized electricity system by producing electricity closer to where it is consumed. When combined with battery energy storage, these projects can improve grid flexibility while helping communities prepare for growing electricity demand.
How Stardust Solar Can Help
Community solar projects require more than solar panels. They require planning, engineering, financing, stakeholder engagement, utility coordination, construction, and long-term operational support. With expertise spanning residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar, Stardust is well positioned to help municipalities, Indigenous communities, developers, strata corporations, businesses, and institutions evaluate and deliver successful community solar projects.
Stardust can assist with:
- Community solar feasibility studies
- Engineering and system design
- Financial modelling and project planning
- Battery energy storage integration
- Utility interconnection support
- Construction management
- Long-term operations and maintenance
As community solar programs continue to evolve, Stardust is also evaluating opportunities to develop, own, and operate decentralized renewable energy assets that generate long-term value while expanding access to affordable clean energy.
Community solar represents one of Canada’s most promising opportunities to expand renewable energy participation. British Columbia’s Community Generation initiative, Nova Scotia’s subscription-based solar gardens, Alberta’s innovative Solar Club, and Ontario’s community net-metering demonstrations all illustrate how provinces are exploring new ways to make renewable energy more accessible. As Canada’s electricity demand continues to grow, community solar can help expand clean energy generation, strengthen local electricity systems, and create new opportunities for communities, businesses, and Indigenous partners to participate in the energy transition.
Whether you are a municipality, First Nation, developer, strata corporation, commercial property owner, or community organization, Stardust Solar can help evaluate community solar opportunities and guide your project from concept through development and long-term operation.
Contact Stardust Solar today to learn how community solar can create lasting value for your organization and your community.