Introduction – Smart Energy Communities and the Regulatory system Canada faces several challenges on the energy and climate change front — and they appear to be growing more intractable. We are approaching thirty years from initial agreement on the Framework […]
On August 28, 2019, Bill C-69 was proclaimed into force, simultaneously enacting the Canadian Energy Regulator Act (CERA) and the Impact Assessment Act (IAA)1 and repealing the National Energy Board Act (NEB Act) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 […]
I am delighted, and honoured, to be asked again to speak to representatives of one of Canada’s most important and far-reaching industries. A lot of us take this industry for granted, because natural gas heats our homes and powers our factories. It’s used by 21-million Canadians[…]
What if Canada developed climate change policy as if energy mattered? While this question may sound glib, Canadian climate policy from the early 1990s is most easily understood if one assumes that energy and climate imperatives had simply been disconnected[…]
Is the tail wagging the dog? Good corporate governance is fundamental to any effective, well-managed corporate entity. This principle applies equally to administrative agencies within a government framework. However, tribunals carrying out a quasi-judicial function within a parliamentary system present unique accountability and independence issues[…]
In March 2019, the Ontario Government announced a series of plans aimed at reforming the structure of the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), as well as lowering electricity costs for consumers. Some of the Government’s proposed plans will be implemented through legislative amendments set out in the now-passed Bill 87 (which amends the Ontario Energy Board Act (OEB Act) and other statutes), while other changes are to be implemented through regulatory and policy updates[…]
