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:
June 18, 2024
to August 2, 2024
Decision summary
On October 28, 2024, an amendment to O.Reg. 509/18, made under the Electricity Act, 1998 was filed to harmonize the efficiency standards for 42 products through rolling incorporation by reference to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) standards, and to revoke obsolete efficiency requirements for three products regulated under O.Reg. 509/18.
Decision details
Proposal
The Ministry of Energy (the “Ministry) posted a proposal to amend O.Reg. 509/18, Energy and Water Efficiency – Appliances and Products (the “Efficiency Regulation”), made under the Electricity Act, 1998 on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (“ERO”) and the Regulatory Registry for a 45-day public review period between June 18, 2024, and August 2, 2024. The proposal was to harmonize the efficiency standards for 42 products through rolling incorporation by reference to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) standards, and to revoke obsolete efficiency requirements for three products regulated under the Efficiency Regulation. Rolling incorporation would allow for automatic updates to product scope, test standards and efficiency requirements for these products in the Efficiency Regulation if, and when changes/updates are made to the NRCan standards. It was also proposed to streamline the regulation and make other housekeeping changes such as updating references to test standards for products with no changes to the existing efficiency requirements, or to update/clarify product names.
Regulation Changes
A regulatory amendment was filed on October 28, 2024, and will come into effect on January 1, 2025. The amendment fully harmonizes Ontario requirements and efficiency metrics for 42 products through rolling incorporation by reference to the federal Energy Efficiency Regulations made under Canada’s Energy Efficiency Act (NRCan standards) and removes now obsolete efficiency requirements for 3 existing products with no changes to the proposal posted on the ERO. The amendments:
A. Expand full rolling incorporation with NRCan standards for 42 products that are already harmonized with current NRCan requirements (test method, scope and efficiency requirements), to ensure that Ontario’s requirements would update automatically when NRCan changes/updates their standards. Affected products include:
- Range, electric, residential
- Range, gas, residential
- Clothes washer, residential
- Clothes washer, commercial
- Clothes dryer, residential, electric
- Integrated/combination clothes washer and dryer
- Dishwasher, residential
- Dehumidifier
- Freezer, refrigerator or refrigerator-freezer, residential
- Miscellaneous refrigeration product
- Commercial refrigeration (refrigerator, freezer, ref-freezer and display cabinets)
- Ice storage bin, manual scoop-out
- Ice maker commercial automatic
- Vending machine, refrigerated bottled or canned beverage
- Microwave
- Walk-in freezers and walk-in coolers
- Commercial prerinse spray valve
- Air conditioner or heat pump, central, <19 kW
- Air conditioner or heat pump, ≥ 19 kW
- Air conditioner or heat pump, packaged terminal
- Air conditioner, room
- Water chiller
- Ceiling fan
- Air conditioner or heat pump, single-package vertical
- Lamp, fluorescent, general service
- Lamp, incandescent, general service reflector
- Ballast, fluorescent lamp
- Ballast, high intensity discharge (HID) or low pressure sodium lamp (LPS)
- Torchiere
- Exit sign
- Signal module, traffic
- Signal module, pedestrian
- Ceiling fan light kit
- Induction motor, 0.18 to 2.2 kW (0.25 to 3 horsepower) single speed, AC
- Induction motor, three-phase, 0.75 to 375 kW (1 to 500 HP) up to 600 volts
- Transformer, dry-type (15-833 kVA for single phase, 15-7500 for three-phase)
- Pumps, commercial and industrial
- Compact audio product
- Television
- Video product
- External power supply
- Battery charger
B. Make housekeeping amendments to revoke now obsolete efficiency requirements for 3 products currently regulated under the Efficiency Regulation. These products are not regulated and are not planned to be regulated in future by other major jurisdictions or are already captured under a different product in the Efficiency Regulation. In addition, the benefits of continued regulation for these products, such as estimated energy savings, are no longer considered substantial. Affected products include:
- Vending machine, for other than refrigerated bottled or canned beverage.
- Furnace fans, residential
- Luminaire, dusk-to-dawn
C. Other housekeeping changes to the Efficiency Regulation. These changes streamline the Efficiency Regulation to make it more concise, easier to follow and easier to identify which products are harmonized with other jurisdictions. This will significantly reduce time needed to review and compare regulation for stakeholders and simplify the regulation.
The amendment takes effect on January 1, 2025.
This amendment does not introduce new compliance or administrative costs (e.g. new testing) since the existing requirements for the products affected are already harmonized and regulated in Ontario and by NRCan.
There will be reduced administrative costs for manufacturers as they will now not need to review and compare Ontario and NRCan’s efficiency regulation for these products if and when NRCan updates their requirements for the affected products in future. The amendment will also avoid potential duplicate testing and certification costs for the 42 products covered in this amendment, which would have to be tested separately to meet NRCan’s and Ontario’s requirements if Ontario and NRCan’s requirements were not updated to harmonize concurrently.
There is no cost or benefit impact for the revocation of obsolete efficiency requirements for the 3 products currently regulated under O.Reg. 509/18.
Effects of consultation
The Ministry received five comments/submissions through the ERO (excluding one submitted in error and marked as off-topic):
- Four comments are general and not applicable to the proposed changes. They suggested to increase use of renewable energy, support funding for standards development and to introduce efficiency standards for thermal electric power generation.
- One comment submitted by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) Canada fully supports ministry’s proposal. AHAM expressed support for ministry’s effort towards harmonization and the proposal to expand rolling incorporation by reference with NRCan standards for 42 products since this will allow home appliance manufacturers to seamlessly continue to be compliant with Ontario energy efficiency regulations as they transition to newer federal and international standards. They also recognize the importance of alignment among provincial, federal or U.S. compliance dates for the same standards and test procedures.
All comments received were given full consideration by the Ministry. The amendment addressed a comment from AHAM ensuring that home appliance manufacturers will seamlessly continue to be compliant with Ontario’s regulation including the alignment of product compliance dates. As feedback received was generally supportive of the proposed changes, the proposal has been adopted in the regulation with no change. Comments are available for public viewing through the contact person listed in this notice.
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.
Connect with us
Contact
Tania Donovska, MEng, PMP
77 Grenville Street, 5th floor
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2C1
Canada
Original proposal
Why consultation isn't required
Under O. Reg. 73/94, this proposal is not required to be posted for consultation. Specifically, (4) Clauses 88 (1) (a.1) to (g) of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 are prescribed for the purposes of section 16 of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993.
Proposal details
These changes are administrative in nature and would have no impact on energy use or GHG emissions.
The Ministry of Energy (the Ministry) is proposing amendments to O.Reg. 509/18, Energy and Water Efficiency – Appliances and Products (Efficiency Regulation) which, if approved, would fully harmonize Ontario requirements and efficiency metrics for 42 products through rolling incorporation by reference to the federal Energy Efficiency Regulations made under Canada’s Energy Efficiency Act (NRCan standards), and remove now obsolete efficiency requirements for 3 existing products. Rolling incorporation would allow for automatic updates to product scope, test standards and efficiency requirements of these products in the Efficiency Regulation if, and when changes/updates are made to the NRCan standards. The proposed amendments would:
A. Expand full rolling incorporation with NRCan standards for 42 products that are already harmonized with current NRCan requirements (test method, scope and efficiency requirements), to ensure that Ontario’s requirements would update automatically when NRCan changes/updates their standards. The proposed compliance date for these changes to come into force is January 1, 2025. Affected products include:
- Range, electric, residential
- Range, gas, residential
- Clothes washer, residential
- Clothes washer, commercial
- Clothes dryer, residential, electric
- Integrated/combination clothes washer and dryer
- Dishwasher, residential
- Dehumidifier
- Freezer, refrigerator or refrigerator-freezer, residential
- Miscellaneous refrigeration product
- Commercial refrigeration (refrigerator, freezer, ref-freezer and display cabinets)
- Ice storage bin, manual scoop-out
- Ice maker commercial automatic
- Vending machine, refrigerated bottled or canned beverage
- Microwave
- Walk-in freezers and walk-in coolers
- Commercial prerinse spray valve
- Air conditioner or heat pump, central, <19 kW
- Air conditioner or heat pump, ≥ 19 kW
- Air conditioner or heat pump, packaged terminal
- Air conditioner, room
- Water chiller
- Ceiling fan
- Air conditioner or heat pump, single-package vertical
- Lamp, fluorescent, general service
- Lamp, incandescent, general service reflector
- Ballast, fluorescent lamp
- Ballast, high intensity discharge (HID) or low pressure sodium lamp (LPS)
- Torchiere
- Exit sign
- Signal module, traffic
- Signal module, pedestrian
- Ceiling fan light kit
- Induction motor, 0.18 to 2.2 kW (0.25 to 3 horsepower) single speed, AC
- Induction motor, three-phase, 0.75 to 375 kW (1 to 500 HP) up to 600 volts
- Transformer, dry-type (15-833 kVA for single phase, 15-7500 for three-phase)
- Pumps, commercial and industrial
- Compact audio product
- Television
- Video product
- External power supply
- Battery charger
B. Make housekeeping amendments to evoke now obsolete efficiency requirements for 3 products currently regulated under the Efficiency Regulation. These products are not regulated and are not planned to be regulated in future by other major jurisdictions or are already captured under a different product in the Efficiency Regulation. In addition, the benefits of continued regulation for these products, such as estimated energy savings, are no longer considered substantial. The proposed compliance date for these changes to come into force is January 1, 2025. Affected products include:
- Vending machine, for other than refrigerated bottled or canned beverage
- Furnace fans, residential
- Luminaire, dusk-to-dawn
C. Other housekeeping changes to the Efficiency Regulation. These changes could include updating references to include the most relevant or most recent editions of test standards for products with no changes to the existing efficiency requirements, or update/clarify product names.
Environmental Impact
No energy or environmental impacts are expected from these changes as the proposed updates would not change minimum efficiency requirements at this time, however proposed updates may lead to energy savings and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in future whenever NRCan changes/updates their standards. The proposed changes are administrative in nature and are intended to demonstrate Ontario’s commitment to continue harmonization with NRCan standards for a wider range of products.
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.
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from June 18, 2024
to August 2, 2024
Connect with us
Contact
Tania Donovska, MEng, PMP
77 Grenville Street, 5th floor
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2C1
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
4By email
1By mail
0