What “tonnes CO₂e” actually means
CO₂e is “carbon-dioxide equivalent” — every greenhouse gas converted to its CO₂-warming-equivalent over 100 years. Methane is roughly 27× CO₂; nitrous oxide ~273×. Tonnes (metric tons) means 1,000 kg. The average Canadian household emits about 14 t CO₂e per year directly; the figure includes everything in this calculator plus household goods and services we don’t count.
Provincial electricity matters
Hydro-heavy provinces (Quebec, Manitoba, BC, Newfoundland) have grids that are essentially carbon-free for new electricity demand. Alberta and Saskatchewan still get most of their electricity from natural gas and coal — every kWh in Alberta is roughly 600× as carbon-intensive as in Quebec. This is why “going electric” (heat pumps, EVs) saves 10–20× more CO₂ in Alberta than in Quebec, despite Quebec having cleaner electricity overall.
Where to focus
The 80/20 of household carbon for most Canadians is: international flights, daily commute distance × car fuel economy, and frequency of beef in the diet. Cutting one round-trip flight to Europe per year is roughly equal to switching from a sedan to an EV for a year, or to going low-meat for a year. The remaining 20 % is mostly heating and electricity, where the high-impact moves depend strongly on your province.