Canadian Hydrogen Association —Quarterly President’s Update to Members (April 2026)

To members of the Canadian Hydrogen Association,

The first quarter of 2026 has marked a period of sustained momentum for Canada’s hydrogen sector—and for the Canadian Hydrogen Association (CHA). As federal and provincial governments increasingly signal policy development pertaining to our sector, the CHA has focused on strengthening membership, deepening collaborations, and advancing policy and market development from January through March 2026.

Below is a snapshot of CHA’s key activities and sector developments over Q1 of 2026.

New members and Premier Partnerships

The CHA has strengthened its national footprint by welcoming new members and expanding its Premier Membership base this quarter.

In Q1 2026, CHA announced Premier Memberships for Atura Power, Fasken, Powertech Labs, and Toyota Canada Inc. These announcements reflect the growing interest from leading automotive, power‑generation, legal, and technology firms in shaping Canada’s hydrogen agenda. We thank our premier members for their commitment to the ongoing work of the CHA, as well as their continued engagement in supporting our advocacy, knowledge sharing, and networking efforts.

We also welcomed MAX Power Mining Corp., Kavenex, OPmobility, Hydrox Tech Inc, Vema Hydrogen, City of Calgary and Deloitte into the CHA membership, enhancing representation across mining, natural hydrogen, mobility, and clean‑energy technology.

Additional membership announcements are expected in the coming months as more organizations look to anchor their hydrogen strategies through CHA’s national platform.

Industry News

There have been numerous member updates in Q1 2026. Notably:

• MAX Power Mining Corp secured a $5 million investment from Bitexco to advance discovery and commercial development of natural hydrogen in Saskatchewan.
  

• The European Commission’s approval of a €200 million German scheme to support the production in Canada of renewable hydrogen and its derivatives, known as renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs).
  
  
• The University of British Columbia is undertaking a $2.5 million project to explore the feasibility of campus boilers running entirely on hydrogen.
  
  
• Simon Fraser University has been awarded $12 million in funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), including more than $7 million for the SFU Clean Hydrogen Hub to lead the SHIFT (Sustainable Hydrogen Infrastructure for Transitioning towards Community Scale).
   
• Researchers at the University of Calgary are undertaking a multi-year project to advance the safe, efficient and reliable use of hydrogen technologies as momentum builds around hydrogen infrastructure development.
  
  
• The University of Alberta, Diesel Tech Industries (DTI) and the City of Edmonton are partnering to explore ways to improve hydrogen combustion and dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel combustion in engines, and to better integrate hydrogen fuel into the City’s vehicles—including its bus fleet.
  
  
• Quantum Technology Corp. and Hyfluence won the BC Export Awards for Natural Resources and Clean Technology respectively.
  
  
• Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (QIMC:CSE) has received approval from the Nova Scotia government for its Phase 1 drilling notification at the Bennett Hill, which is one of several drill-ready zones being advanced under QIMC’s natural hydrogen development strategy
  
  
• Utility Global has secured $100 million in a Series D funding round to deploy its proprietary H2Gen® technology at industrial scale.
  
  
• EverWind has secured a US$175 million (CAD$240 million) strategic investment from Nuveen to support Phase 1 of their Nova Scotia wind portfolio and the broader green fuels platform at Point Tupper.
  
  
• Elemental Clean Fuels is testing a way to replace carbon-emitting natural gas with clean-burning ‘green’ hydrogen made from water at the Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill.
  
  
• Next Hydrogen secured two contracts worth a combined $3.75 million to demonstrate its electrolyzer technology in a highly specialized nuclear application.
  
  
• HTEC launched a new consulting project for Canadian Standards Association focused on advancing hydrogen in the maritime sector.
  
  
• Toyota Motor Corporation intends to become an equal shareholder in Cellcentric, the Daimler Truck‑Volvo joint venture developing hydrogen fuel cell systems for heavy‑duty trucks. The MOU announced March 31 signals stronger OEM convergence around hydrogen as a complement to battery‑electric solutions in decarbonizing freight.

We congratulate our members for their continued success in advancing Canada’s hydrogen economy.

Strategic partnerships and MOUs

In January 2026, CHA strengthened its national network by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Atlantic Hydrogen Alliance (AHA) and Hydrogène Québec (HQ).

These partnerships are designed to:

• Enhance coordination between regional hydrogen hubs and the national association,

• Align advocacy and policy asks across jurisdictions, and

• Expand opportunities for CHA members to access regional information, trade missions, and collaborative projects in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

Through these agreements, the CHA is helping to build a more cohesive, pan‑Canadian hydrogen ecosystem that leverages regional strengths while avoiding duplication.

Events

CHA’s events and advocacy work have been central to advancing stakeholder alignment and policy‑related dialogue in Q1 2026.

Key events included:

• CHA’s participation at Hyvolution Paris 2026, where Canadian companies and institutions showcased green‑hydrogen production and use cases to international investors and policymakers.
  
  
• A January webinar on baseline policy and market developments, supporting members in navigating the evolving regulatory and incentives landscape.
  
  
• A co‑hosted webinar with the Transition Accelerator on hydrogen’s role in Canada’s clean‑energy transition, focusing on technology pathways, economic opportunities, and regional collaboration.
  
  
• CHA participation in a panel at Eco Impact (Calgary, Alberta) in February on clean‑energy innovation and hydrogen’s role in Canada’s decarbonization agenda.
  
  
• The CHA participated in a trade mission to Germany, including a site visit to BASF’s headquarters.
  
  
• The CHA supported the “Japan Partnering Event: Connecting Greater Vancouver and Greater Nagoya’s Cleantech Innovation Ecosystems” in Vancouver.
  
  
• The CHA moderated a panel at an International Energy Agency‑related event in February, convening government and industry leaders to discuss hydrogen deployment, infrastructure, and international standards.
  
  
• The first Innovation Committee meeting of 2026 occurred in March, which convened CHA members and partners to align on research priorities, technology roadmaps, and collaboration opportunities across the hydrogen value chain.
  
  
• The CHA participated in Smart Energy Week in Tokyo,where CHA representatives and members contributed to discussions on Canada–Japan collaboration on hydrogen and ammonia trade, heavy‑duty transport, and supply‑chain partnerships.
  
  These activities helped CHA deepen engagement with investors, policymakers, and technology partners while reinforcing hydrogen’s role in Canada’s industrial and climate strategies.

Government Relations and Advocacy

CHA’s Q1 government‑relations work has focused on ensuring that federal and provincial policy frameworks are aligned with hydrogen’s practical deployment needs. Highlights include:

• Submissions and engagement on Canada’sClean Fuel Regulations, Carbon Markets, and the Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit (CHITC) and related technical amendments.
  
  
• The CHA’s annual BC Advocacy Day in March, where CHA and members engaged with British Columbia stakeholders around the province’s upcoming hydrogen‑strategy refresh and the role of hydrogen in industrial decarbonization and regional economic development.
  
  
• The CHA’s first federal‑level roundtable in March, which brought together federal policymakers, industry leaders, and technical experts to discuss hydrogen infrastructure, project‑finance barriers, and Canada’s position in global hydrogen markets.

These activities reinforce CHA’s goal of ensuring that Canada’s hydrogen policy framework is coherent, implementation‑ready, and supportive of private‑sector investment.

Thought leadership and outreach

The CHA has continued to amplify Canadian hydrogen leadership through op‑eds, media engagement, and thought‑leadership content this quarter.

A February 2026 op‑ed outlined the sector’s policy priorities and the importance of hydrogen in Canada’s industrial‑transition agenda, generating strong engagement across LinkedIn and sector‑specific channels.

A March 2026 op-ed examined the opportunity for hydrogen to support the diversification and continued growth of Alberta’s energy sector.

Moreover, the CHA’s LinkedIn presence has also grown as a hub for hydrogen news, member spotlights, policy updates, and event announcements, contributing to public awareness and stakeholder education throughout Q1 2026. Our organization now has just under 25,000 followers on LinkedIn.

Looking ahead to Q2 2026

As we move into Q2 2026, the CHA will focus on:

• Executing provincial advocacy days in Alberta (April 20) and Ontario (May 6). For more information on these events, please reach out to [email protected].
  
  
• Serving as the Association Partner for, and supporting members in the lead‑up to, the Canadian Hydrogen Convention 2026 in Edmonton (April 21–23). This event serves as a key platform for showcasing Canadian hydrogen projects and investment opportunities.
  
  
• Advancing the work of our Communications Committee, Government Relations Committee, and Innovation Committee. If you are interested in joining these initiatives, please reach out to [email protected]. 
  
  
• Deepening engagements with federal and provincial governments, including upcoming consultations on budgets, infrastructure, standards, and trade‑oriented policy.
  
  
• Releasing thought leadership pieces on foreign direct investment and market assessment reports.
  
  
• Facilitating collaborative research on natural hydrogen development in Canada.
  
  
• Advancing the CHA’s internal governance priorities, inclusive of holding annual affiliate council meetings on May 1 and the CHA’s Annual General Meeting on June 1. Invitations for these events have been distributed to members.

In close, I would like to extend my thanks to our team, members, and partners for their continued collaboration and leadership as we help position Canada as a global hydrogen leader.

It has been a busy and impactful Q1, with much more to look forward to.

Best,

David Billedeau
President and CEO
Canadian Hydrogen Association