There is no requirement to post this notice on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, but we wanted to hear your thoughts. Thank you for your feedback.
This consultation was open from:
July 27, 2020
to September 10, 2020
Decision summary
The government proceeded with the proposal to revoke O. Reg. 355/17 as it is a necessary first step toward achieving the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines’ (ENDM’s) plan to update Ontario’s long-term planning process.
Decision details
Removing the mandatory timeframe for release of the next long-term plan ensures there is enough time for the design of an effective new planning framework.
Revoking Ontario Regulation 355/17 is a necessary first step toward ENDM’s plan to review and update the existing long-term energy planning (LTEP) process by clarifying the role of the government, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for the benefit of customers.
This proposal is an extension of the Ontario Government’s commitment, outlined in its 2019 Fall Economic Statement, to promote a transparent electricity sector for customers.
Effects of consultation
Comments on the posting, of which 5 were supportive or neutral and 4 expressed areas of concern, were taken into consideration in the decision to proceed with revoking O. Reg. 355/17. ENDM assessed the main concerns raised in each comment and determined how these concerns could be addressed moving forward:
Some of the main concerns and methods for addressing these comments are listed below.
- Concerns that removing the regulation could negatively affect transparency and accountability:
- Response: Revoking Regulation 355/17 would only remove the requirement to release the next plan by the proscribed deadline. Concerns related to ENDM’s transparency and accountability raised in these submissions can be addressed in the design of the new planning framework.
- Concerns that revoking the regulation could delay the planning process, timely response to climate change impacts, and/or energy transition process:
- These concerns can be addressed through the consultation process for the next step as it relates to reviewing and reforming the planning framework.
- Further, as the work on the planning framework gets underway, the IESO will continue its planning activities including releasing planning outlooks regularly, and consulting and developing regional plans with appropriate stakeholders
Upon consideration, ENDM determined that the concerns highlighted in the responses to our proposal can be addressed following revocation of Regulation 355/17, especially since the revocation will give the Ministry and key stakeholders the time and flexibility required to design an improved long-term planning framework.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
77 Grenville Street
6th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2C1
Canada
Connect with us
Contact
Rachel Thompson
77 Grenville Street, 6th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2C1
Canada
Original proposal
Why consultation isn't required
Regulatory changes must be consulted on via the Regulatory Registry (RR) of Ontario. The government has also chosen to consult on the ERO for consistency.
Proposal details
Ontario Regulation 355/17 establishes the timeframe for when long-term energy plans should be released. Currently, the regulation requires the next Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) to be issued by February 2021.
The regulation is part of the Electricity Act, 1998 which was amended in 2016 to include requirements for developing a provincial LTEP, outlining roles for the government, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB).
We plan to review and update the current LTEP planning process by clarifying the role of the government and its agencies to enable better use of resources and benefit consumers. Given our intent to update the current planning framework, we are not able to release the next long-term energy plan by the regulatory deadline of February 2021.
Although the requirement to release a plan by February 2021 would be removed, the IESO will continue its planning activities including releasing planning outlooks regularly, and consulting and developing regional plans with appropriate stakeholders.
Timing requirements
O. Reg. 355/17 came into effect on September 1, 2017. It required that the first long-term energy plan be released three months after the regulation came into force. From this point on, LTEP's were required every three years from the approval of previous implementation plans by the Minister or within three years of the issuance of the preceding long-term energy plan if no implementation plans were required to be submitted. This regulation is legally binding, and the original intent was to provide a consistent and reliable interval for the release of Ontario’s long-term energy plan.
Your Feedback
Reforming the Long-Term Energy Planning Framework in Ontario is an extension of the government’s commitment to promoting a transparent electricity sector for customers as outlined in the 2019 Fall Economic Statement. We are seeking your feedback on the proposal to revoke O. Reg. 355/17 as the first step toward achieving this goal. Our next step will be to seek feedback on a proposal for legislative changes to the planning framework that would happen at a later stage.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
77 Grenville Street
6th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2C1
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from July 27, 2020
to September 10, 2020
Connect with us
Contact
Peyton DiPaolo
77 Grenville Street
6th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2C1
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
8By email
1By mail
0