Ontario’s Clean Energy Opportunity

OVERVIEW

‍January 19, 2024: Earlier today, the Electrification and Energy Transition Panel (the Panel) released its much anticipated report titled Ontario’s Clean Energy Opportunity. The Panel was established by the Minister of Energy in April 2022 with a mandate to provide the Government of Ontario advice on short, medium, and long-term opportunities for the energy sector to help the province’s economy prepare for electrification and energy transition. The Panel was further tasked with identifying opportunities to strengthen the province’s long-term energy planning process by better coordinating the fuels and the electricity sector. Delivering on that mandate, the Panel delivered twenty-nine final recommendations within the following thematic framework:

• Planning for Electrification and the Energy Transition
• Governance and Accountability
• True Partnerships with Indigenous Communities
• Innovation and Economic Development
• Consumer, Citizen, and Community Perspectives

An abridged summary of the Panel’s twenty-nine recommendations can be found in the Appendix.

While specific actions and a timeline regarding next steps on the specific recommendations remain to be seen, they would have broad implications for the Ministry of Energy, Ontario Energy Board (OEB), Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Indigenous communities, regulated utilities, generators, and consumers. These implications range from maintaining the status quo to fundamental changes in the way energy infrastructure is planned and executed upon in Ontario. Perhaps the most clear and prevalent theme that frames each recommendation is the requirement for collaboration and partnerships between government, its agencies, indigenous communities, and stakeholders.

Much of what may come is expected to take the form of a comprehensive policy statement articulating clear direction for Ontario’s energy and economic future. The principles expressed in this commitment will underpin subsequent actions and ensure consistent policy priorities across government, eliminate ambiguity in roles and responsibilities, and establish a new foundation for enabling the energy transition.

With the Panel’s work now complete, the focus shifts back to the government to determine what to make of these recommendations. We expect significant activity in the policy realm in the year ahead, as Ontario turns to the next chapter in its electrification and energy transition journey.

Read our full analysis here.