CCUS market opportunities in Canada

Canada is one of the world's leading CCUS markets, supported by strong federal policy, significant geological storage resources and a growing pipeline of commercial projects. This study assesses how Scottish companies can position themselves to access CCUS opportunities across the Canadian value chain, identifying the regions, market segments and project types where Scottish capabilities are best aligned with future demand.

The report provides a detailed overview of Canada's CCUS market, including the policy and regulatory landscape, provincial market maturity, project pipeline, supply chain requirements and strategic routes to market for Scottish businesses.

What the study covers

The study examines supply chain opportunities for Scottish companies across the full Canadian CCUS value chain, with a focus on market development through to 2035. It covers:

• The Canadian CCUS policy, regulatory and funding environment at both federal and provincial level
• An overview of current and planned CCUS projects across capture, transport, utilisation and storage
• Assessment of market maturity and attractiveness across Canadian provinces
• Identification of short, medium and long-term supply chain opportunities
• Analysis of Scottish capabilities against Canadian market requirements
• Provincial prioritisation to help Scottish companies target the most attractive opportunities
• Strategic recommendations for Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scottish suppliers

The study draws on extensive desk-based research, stakeholder interviews across Canada and Scotland and analysis of supply chain capabilities.

Canada is a global CCUS leader, accounting for approximately 15% of global CCUS capacity despite contributing less than 2% of global CO₂ emissions. Strong federal support mechanisms, including the CCUS Investment Tax Credit and Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, are accelerating development across the value chain. Up to 26 million tonnes per annum of new capture capacity could be deployed by 2030.

Provincial differences are critical as Canada's CCUS market is highly regionalised:

• Alberta is the country's most mature CCUS market, with active capture, transport and storage infrastructure and a substantial project pipeline.
• British Columbia and Saskatchewan are emerging as important secondary markets, particularly for innovation, direct air capture and regional storage hubs.
• Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia are developing regulatory frameworks and are expected to become increasingly important during the 2030s.
• Other provinces currently remain focused primarily on electrification and are less attractive for near-term CCUS activity.

Storage opportunities create a strong fit for Scotland: Canada possesses vast geological storage potential, particularly in Western Canada, while Atlantic Canada is emerging as a future offshore storage hub.

Scottish experience from the North Sea aligns particularly well with future Canadian requirements, including:

• Offshore carbon storage development
• Subsurface characterisation
• Reservoir modelling
• Well integrity management
• Monitoring and verification (MMV)

Eastern Canada offers a compelling entry point: While Alberta remains the largest market, the strongest strategic fit for many Scottish companies lies in Eastern and Atlantic Canada. 

 Shared offshore oil and gas heritage, similar subsurface challenges and developing regulatory frameworks create attractive opportunities for:

• Offshore storage development
• Subsea engineering
• Transport and shipping solutions
• Ports and terminal infrastructure
• Environmental and technical consultancy services

Awareness of Scottish capability remains limited: Stakeholder engagement found that Canadian organisations frequently reference Norway and Germany as leading international CCUS markets, while Scottish capabilities are less well understood.
Building visibility, relationships and market awareness will therefore be essential to successful market entry.

Scottish capabilities align well with Canadian demand in areas such as:

• Offshore carbon storage development
• Reservoir engineering and subsurface analysis
• Monitoring, measurement and verification systems
• CO₂ transport and shipping infrastructure
• Subsea engineering and offshore asset modification
• Engineering, design and consultancy services
• Environmental assessment and regulatory support
• Capture technology innovation and pilot projects

Particular opportunities exist where Canadian markets are still developing and where Scottish experience can help reduce project risk.

Who should read this? 

This report will be of particular interest to:

• Scottish supply chain companies active in CCUS, energy transition and industrial decarbonisation
• Offshore engineering, subsea and reservoir specialists
• CO₂ transport, logistics and port infrastructure providers
• Capture technology developers and innovators
• Professional services, environmental and regulatory consultancies
• Policy makers and organisations supporting internationalisation
• Investors and developers involved in North American CCUS markets

Actions that can support companies:

• Providing targeted market intelligence focused on priority Canadian provinces
• Organising trade missions, webinars and knowledge-sharing activities
• Facilitating introductions to Canadian developers, regulators and industry bodies
• Promoting Scotland's CCUS strengths and North Sea experience
• Supporting partnership formation and consortium development with Canadian organisations
• Connecting Scottish innovators with Canadian pilot and demonstration projects

Scottish companies should:

• Prioritise opportunities in Atlantic Canada and emerging offshore storage markets
• Leverage existing oil and gas relationships as a route into CCUS projects
• Develop partnerships with local Canadian suppliers and service providers
• Engage early with project developers and provincial stakeholders
• Highlight Scottish expertise in offshore storage, subsurface engineering and MMV
• Monitor Alberta's expanding storage hub market for longer-term opportunities

Get in touch

If you're interested in exploring CCUS opportunities in Canada or would like to discuss how Scottish Enterprise can support your international growth ambitions, please contact your local Scottish Enterprise or Scottish Development International trade adviser.