Different regions and communities may require different solutions to address their specific energy needs and the local impacts of large energy infrastructure projects on their communities. For example, some regions may experience an increase in demand due to population growth, while others may be more concerned about the reliability of their energy supply.

Regions also have different priorities for large infrastructure projects. It is crucial that the process for reviewing interregional projects such as pipelines reflects these priorities. Ontarians need to be able to influence these energy solutions through community planning and engagement.

Regional planning

Since 2013, communities have participated in a formalized regional planning process to identify their electricity needs and develop cost-effective solutions for meeting them. It could mean additional supply from transmission lines, local resources like district energy or conservation, or a combination of both. Over the past three years, the electricity needs of all 21 of Ontario’s planning regions have been evaluated, completing the first full cycle of regional planning assessments across the province.

Regional planning gives communities the opportunity to consider all the cost-effective resources for meeting their regional needs. It promotes the principle of Conservation First by first incorporating conservation targets into the forecasts of net regional electricity demand. Only then are other economical solutions considered, such as new supply, distributed generation, additional conservation and demand management or investments in transmission and distribution.

In order to increase the range of cost-effective solutions, barriers to non-wires solutions such as conservation, demand response and other distributed energy resources must be reduced.

Our Local Demand Response initiative at Cecil TS allows us to cost-effectively defer capacity investments and provide other valuable benefits. This project exemplifies Toronto Hydro’s commitment to delivering customer value and building a more flexible, integrated grid.

Anthony Haines, CEO Toronto Hydro Corporation

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) is also working to integrate conservation into regional and local planning for natural gas infrastructure. The OEB's 2015-2020 Demand Side Management (DSM) Framework says natural gas utilities need to consider conservation as a key principle in their infrastructure planning. As part of the mid-term review of the DSM Framework that is currently underway, natural gas utilities are expected to propose transition plans to integrate natural gas conservation into their planning for future infrastructure.

Local advisory committees have helped their communities to understand regional electricity issues. These committees allow residents to provide input, and their advice improves the implementation and the regional plan. Community engagement is also crucial to linking regional energy plans with community energy planning.

Now that the first cycle of regional planning has been completed, the government is directing the IESO to review the regional planning process and report back with options and recommendations to address the challenges and opportunities that have emerged.

Community energy planning

Ontario’s Municipal Energy Plan program and the IESO's Aboriginal Community Energy Plan (ACEP) program both support the efforts of municipalities and Indigenous communities to assess their energy use and needs, consider the impact of future growth, and foster local economic development. Communities are encouraged to develop their own energy plans that identify opportunities for conservation and priorities for infrastructure. The resulting community energy plans have helped communities recognize opportunities to conserve energy, improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. More information on the ACEP program can be found in Chapter 7.

Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan has reinforced the importance of community energy and community GHG plans, and indicated Ontario will continue to support them. The Climate Change Action Plan also includes a funding for projects to reduce GHG emissions proposed by a municipality that has completed a community energy or community GHG plan and meets program eligibility criteria. The government launched the Municipal GHG Challenge Fund in August 2017. Municipalities may request up to $10 million per project to reduce GHGs in the building, energy supply, water, transportation, waste and organics sectors. Any Ontario municipality with a community-wide GHG emissions inventory, emissions reduction targets and a strategy to reduce emissions is eligible to apply. Municipal Energy Plan program participation is one path to eligibility for the Municipal GHG Challenge Fund.

Figure 21: Regional highlights

Regional highlights

North of Dryden and remote connection

The construction of a new line to Pickle Lake and the connection of remote First Nation communities currently served by diesel generators are priorities for Ontario. The regional plan for North of Dryden recommended two projects to meet the near-term electricity needs of the region:

  • Building a new 230 kV transmission line from the Dryden/Ignace area to Pickle Lake; and
  • Upgrading the existing transmission lines from Dryden to Ear Falls and from Ear Falls to Red Lake.

Together, these projects will substantially increase the ability of the systems in Pickle Lake and Red Lake to meet demand.

Wataynikaneyap Power is the proponent of the 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the Dryden/Ignace area to Pickle Lake and is currently acquiring the necessary approvals. The line is expected to be in service in 2020.

Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire is in one of the most significant mineral regions of the province and includes the largest deposit of chromite ever discovered in North America. Electricity supply for the development of mines and the connection of remote First Nations in the area was assessed in the North of Dryden regional plan and the most economic option was found to be transmission connection to the Ontario grid.

The final approach to electricity supply in the Ring of Fire will depend on decisions related to transportation infrastructure, Indigenous community preferences and the electricity needs of mining companies.

Ottawa

Work is underway or complete on five transmission projects to address the near-to-medium term reliability needs and growth in demand in the Ottawa region.

The projects include the upgrading of a 115-kV circuit to provide increased supply capability for downtown Ottawa and a new transformer station and transmission line to meet the growing electricity needs of new developments in South Nepean.

A Local Advisory Committee has been established to provide advice on the development of the region’s longer-term electricity plan.

Central Toronto

Increased density, new large transit projects, system reliability and resilience, and aging infrastructure are all driving new investments in Toronto’s electricity infrastructure.

Conservation will be a key component of meeting the city’s future electricity needs, with conservation resources expected to offset nearly 40 per cent of the growth in demand until 2036.

Investments in the Runnymede, Horner and Copeland transformer stations will ensure new customers can be connected to the grid.

As early as the mid-to-late 2020s, two major autotransformer stations and key transmission facilities are expected to reach the limit of their ability to supply growth in Central Toronto.

A Local Advisory Committee has been established to provide advice on the development of the region’s longer-term electricity plan.

Windsor-Essex

Agri-business is growing in the rural portion of Essex County, increasing the demand for electricity. Hydro One is building a new transmission line, a new transformer station near Leamington, and refurbishing the Kingsville and Keith transformer stations to address this growth and improve restoration timelines. The new line and transformer station are expected to be in service by 2018.

York Region

Several transmission projects are underway to address the near-term needs for capacity and reliability in York Region, including a new transformer station in the City of Markham.

Based on current projections, York sub-regions' electricity system is expected to reach its capacity to supply growth in the medium to long term. A Local Advisory Committee has been established to provide advice on the region’s longer-term electricity plan.

Setting standards for pipelines

Apart from a small share of domestic production, Ontario’s oil and natural gas is delivered from outside the province by interprovincial and international pipelines. These pipelines are under federal jurisdiction and regulated by the National Energy Board (NEB). The 2013 Long-Term Energy Plan outlined a set of principles that Ontario will use to evaluate oil and natural gas pipelines. In November 2014, Ontario and Québec agreed on the following seven principles for pipeline reviews:

  • Pipelines must meet the highest available technical standards for public safety and environmental protection;
  • Pipelines must have world-leading contingency planning and emergency response programs;
  • Proponents and governments must fulfill their duty to consult obligations with Indigenous communities;
  • Local municipalities must be consulted;
  • Projects should provide demonstrable economic benefits and opportunities to the people of Ontario, over both the short and long term;
  • Economic and environmental risks and responsibilities, including remediation, should be borne exclusively by the pipeline companies, who must also provide financial assurance demonstrating their capability to respond to leaks and spills; and
  • GHG emissions and the interests of energy consumers must be taken into account.

The Province is committed to public engagement on major pipeline developments. In November 2013, the government asked the OEB to conduct provincewide consultations regarding TransCanada’s Energy East proposal. The consultation process focused on four areas of potential impact:

  • The impacts on Ontario natural gas consumers in terms of rates, reliability and access to supply, especially those consumers in eastern and northern Ontario;
  • The impacts on pipeline safety and the natural environment in Ontario;
  • The impacts on First Nations, Métis and local communities; and
  • The short and long term economic impacts of the project in Ontario.

The OEB undertook an extensive consultation and review process. It hired experts in the subjects of pipelines, environmental reviews and economics to assist in understanding of the project and made their reports public. The OEB visited seven cities and towns along the route, meeting with local residents, First Nations and Métis in the spring of 2014 and again in the winter of 2015, to get their views on TransCanada’s application. In addition, the OEB received about 10,000 written submissions during its review.

In August 2015, the OEB published its report Giving a Voice to Ontarians on Energy East. The report concluded there was not an appropriate balance between the economic and environmental risks of the project and its expected benefits for Ontarians. The report will help guide Ontario’s participation in the NEB's regulatory proceeding on Energy East.

To ensure its strategic interests in pipeline projects are represented, the government will continue to participate in regulatory proceedings at the NEB and at intergovernmental forums that discuss the delivery of energy in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner. Ontario is also working with the federal government on regulatory initiatives such as modernizing the NEB to ensure major energy projects are reviewed in a predictable manner that increases public confidence.

Summary

  • The government will continue to work with its agencies to implement the Conservation First policy in regional and local energy planning processes.
  • With the first cycle of regional planning completed, the government is directing the Independent Electricity System Operator to review the regional planning process and report back with options and recommendations that address the challenges and opportunities that have emerged.
  • Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan has reinforced the importance of community energy plans, and indicated the government’s continued support for them.
  • The Province has established seven pipeline principles to evaluate oil and natural gas pipelines, and is committed to public engagement when it undertakes reviews of major pipeline projects.

Accessible descriptions

Figure 21: Regional highlights

Figure 21 is a map of Ontario. The boundaries of Ontario’s 21 electricity regions are shown. Five regions are highlighted: Northwest Ontario, Greater Ottawa, Greater Toronto Area North, Toronto and Windsor Essex. Information related to these six regions is included in the corresponding text.

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