Protect Ontario by Securing Affordable Energy for Generations Act, 2025

RÉSUMÉ DU REGISTRE OFFICIEL

Ce qu'il faut savoir

SCHEDULE 1 ELECTRICITY ACT, 1998 The Schedule amends the Electricity Act, 1998 . The major elements are described below: 1. The purposes of the Act in section 1 are amended to add new purposes related to economic growth and the development of a hydrogen market and economy in Ontario. 2. The objects of the Independent Electricity System Operator in subsection 6 (1) of the Act are amended to add provisions relating to supporting economic growth. 3. Sections 25.33 and 25.34 of the Act are amended to provide that regulations made under the Act may specify amounts paid to generators, the Financial Corporation and distributors that would not be taken into account when adjustments are made to ensure that payments of those amounts be made by specified classes of market participants and consumers. Instead, those amounts would be paid out of money appropriated by the Legislature, if any. Complementary amendments are made to the regulation-making authority in section 114. 4. New section 28.1 is added to the Act. It provides that transmitters or distributors shall not connect or reconnect certain load facilities from its transmission system or distribution system unless connection requirements that are specified in the regulations are met. Complementary amendments are made to the regulation-making authority in section 114. A related amendment is made to the Fixing the Hydro Mess Act, 2019 . SCHEDULE 2 MUNICIPAL FRANCHISES ACT The Schedule amends the Municipal Franchises Act . Currently, subsection 3 (1) of the Act provides that, before a municipality can grant the right to use or occupy any of the highways of the municipality for a public utility or to construct or operate a public utility in the municipality, the municipal electors of that municipality must assent to a by-law setting out the terms and conditions upon which and the period for which such right is to be granted or acquired. Section 3 is re-enacted to remove the requirement for the municipal electors to assent to such a by-law and instead to require that a municipality pass a by-law setting out the terms and conditions. Various amendments are made to other provisions of the Act to reflect that change. Currently, subsection 10 (1) of the Act provides that a municipality or a party having a right to operate works for the distribution of gas may apply to the Ontario Energy Board for an order to renew or extend the term of the right if it has expired or will expire within one year. This subsection is amended to expand the authority of the Ontario Energy Board so that a municipality or party may apply to the Board for an order to renew or extend the term of a right not only to operate, but also to construct, extend or add to works for the distribution of gas. A transitional amendment is made to provide that applications that are made to the Ontario Energy Board for an order under section 9 or 10 of the Act before the Schedule comes into force shall be continued and disposed of in accordance with the Act, as amended by the Schedule. A consequential amendment is made to the Public Utilities Act . SCHEDULE 3 ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD ACT, 1998 The Schedule amends the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 . The major elements are described below: 1. Subsection 1 (1) of the Act is amended to add a new objective of the Ontario Energy Board respecting economic growth in relation to the regulation of the electricity sector. 2. A new section 13.1 of the Act authorizes the Board’s chief executive officer to issue internal policies respecting various procedural matters in relation to hearings and determinations. 3. Amendments are made to reflect the addition of section 28.1 to the Electricity Act, 1998 . Section 28.1 of the Electricity Act, 1998 is made an enforceable provision under the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 . Conditions requiring non-discriminatory access in the licence of a transmitter or distributor are made subject to the restrictions in section 28.1 of the Electricity Act, 1998 . Section 28.1 of the Electricity Act, 1998 and any regulation made under that Act prevails over an order, code or licence issued by the Board. 4. Section 78.3 is added to the Act. It provides that the Minister may make payments to a transmitter out of money appropriated by the Legislature, if any. If those payments are made to the transmitter, the Ontario Energy Board must take those payments into account when setting rates for the transmitter under section 78 of the Act. 5. Section 96 of the Act is amended in respect of applications under section 92 of the Act (leave to construct, etc., electricity transmission or distribution line). Economic growth is added to the list of matters the Board is permitted to consider when deciding whether granting leave is in the public interest. As well, the Board is required to consider reports, documents or other information that may be specified by the regulations made under the Act in considering an application under section 92.