Ontario Energy Board

Amendments to Standard Supply Service Code

  1. Section 1.6 of the Standard Supply Service Code is amended by adding the following new section 1.6.6:

    1.6.6
    The amendments to section 3.9 come into force on March 15, 2017.

  2. Section 3.9 of the Standard Supply Service Code is deleted and replaced with the following:

    3.9 Pilot Projects

    3.9.1
    Where a distributor implements a Board-approved pilot project relating to eligible time-of-use meters, the distributor may charge an RPP consumer that has an eligible time-of-use meter and that is participating in the pilot project the commodity price for electricity referred to in either section 3.3 or 3.4 or any other commodity price that the Board approves as part of the pilot project.

(150-G139)

Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule

  1. Section 1.2.1 of the Gas Distribution Access Rule is amended by adding the following new definition after the definition of “gas vendor consolidated billing”:
    “low volume consumer”
    means a consumer who annually uses less than 50,000 cubic meters of gas or such other amount as may be prescribed for the purposes of section 2 of the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010;
  2. Section 1.4 of the Gas Distribution Rule is amended by adding the following new section 1.4.8:

    1.4.8
    Sections 4.3.10, 6.1.4 and 6.1.5 come into force on January 1, 2017.

  3. Section 4.3 of the Gas Distribution Access Rule is amended by adding the following new section 4.3.10:

    4.3.10
    Beginning on July 1, 2017, where a gas distributor processes an STR for a change in supply in respect of a low volume consumer under section 4.3.5 or 4.3.6, the gas distributor shall notify the low volume consumer of the transfer in writing using the form of notice approved by the Board. The notice shall be sent within 5 business days of the date on which processing of the STR has been completed. The notice must be sent to the low volume consumer separate from any other communication from the gas distributor, including the bill. Subject to any arrangements to the contrary that a gas distributor may have with a low volume consumer in relation to communications, the notice may be sent to the low volume consumer by courier, mail, facsimile or e-mail.

  4. Section 6 of the Gas Distribution Access Rule is amended by adding the following new sections 6.1.4 and 6.1.5:

    6.1.4
    Beginning on July 1, 2017, in the case of gas distributor-consolidated billing, and despite any Service Agreement, a gas distributor shall, in respect of a low volume consumer that is served by a gas vendor, include, on the part of each bill submitted to the low volume consumer that relates to the commodity price, the phrase “you are buying your gas from”, followed by the gas vendor’s name in capital letters. The gas distributor shall also include on the bill, immediately following the gas vendor’s name, either (a) the gas vendor’s toll-free telephone number and website address as provided by the gas vendor; or (b) an asterisk or other symbol of equivalent effect to indicate that the gas distributor has included the gas vendor’s toll-free telephone number and website address elsewhere on the bill. A gas distributor may also include the gas vendor’s e-mail address as provided by the gas vendor, in which case the e-mail address shall appear immediately following the gas vendor’s website address.

    6.1.5
    Despite any Service Agreement, a gas vendor shall provide each applicable gas distributor with the gas vendor’s name, toll-free telephone number, website address and e-mail address for the purposes of section 6.1.4.

(150-G140)

Amendments to the Retail Settlement Code

  1. Section 1.2 of the Retail Settlement Code is amended by adding the following new definition after the definition of “lock box arrangement”:
    “low volume consumer”
    means a consumer who annually uses less than 150,000 kilowatt hours of electricity or such other amount as may be prescribed for the purposes of section 2 of the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010;
  2. Section 1.7 of the Retail Settlement Code is amended by adding the following new paragraph to the end of that section:

    Sections 7.2.3 and 10.5.4A, and the amendments to sections 10.5.2 and 10.5.3 made by the Board on December 1, 2016, come into force on January 1, 2017.

  3. Section 7 of the Retail Settlement Code is amended by adding the following new section 7.2.3:

    7.2.3 Retailer Information on the Bill

    Beginning on July 1, 2017, and despite any Service Agreement, a distributor shall, in respect of a low volume consumer that is served by a retailer, include, on the part of each bill submitted to the low volume consumer that relates to the commodity price, the phrase “you are buying your electricity from”, followed by the retailer’s name in capital letters. The distributor shall also include on the bill, immediately following the retailer’s name, either (a) the retailer’s toll-free telephone number and website address as provided by the retailer; or (b) an asterisk or other symbol of equivalent effect to indicate that the distributor has included the retailer’s toll-free telephone number and the retailer’s website address elsewhere on the bill. A distributor may also include the retailer’s e-mail address as provided by the retailer, in which case the e-mail address shall appear immediately following the retailer’s website address.

    Despite any Service Agreement, a retailer shall provide each applicable distributor with its name, toll-free telephone number, website address and e-mail address for the purposes of the above.

  4. Section 10.5.2 of the Retail Settlement Code is amended by adding the words “or processed” to the end of paragraph 1.
  5. Section 10.5.3 of the Retail Settlement Code is amended by adding the words “Subject to section 10.5.4A,” at the beginning of the second paragraph of that section, and changing the “A” of the first word of that section to “a”.
  6. Section 10.5 of the Retail Settlement Code is amended by adding the following new section 10.5.4A:

    10.5.4A Notification of Transfer to Low Volume Consumer

    Beginning on July 1, 2017, where a distributor processes an STR for a change in supply in respect of a low volume consumer under section 10.5.3 or 10.5.4, the distributor shall notify the low volume consumer of the transfer in writing using the form of notice approved by the Board. The notice shall be sent within 5 business days of the date on which processing of the STR has been completed. The notice must be sent to the low volume consumer separate from any other communication from the distributor, including the bill. Subject to any arrangements to the contrary that a distributor may have with a low volume consumer in relation to communications, the notice may be sent to the low volume consumer by courier, mail, facsimile or e-mail.

(150-G141)

FSCO Draft 2017 Statement of Priorities

April 1, 2017

Re: Financial Services Commission of Ontario Priorities – Request for Submissions

Section 11 of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario Act, 1997, requires the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) to publish a statement each year setting out its proposed priorities and the reasons for adopting these priorities in connection with the administration of:

  • the Insurance Act
  • the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act
  • the Automobile Insurance Rate Stabilization Act, 2003
  • the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act
  • the Prepaid Hospital and Medical Services Act
  • the Co-operative Corporations Act
  • the Credit Unions and Caisses Populaires Act, 1994
  • the Loan and Trust Corporations Act
  • the Mortgage Brokerages, Lenders and Administrators Act, 2006
  • the Pension Benefits Act
  • the Registered Insurance Brokers Act

FSCO invites interested parties to make written submissions regarding FSCO’s Draft 2017 Statement of Priorities.

The Draft 2017 Statement of Priorities was posted on the FSCO website on March 27, 2017.

For paper copies, please contact:

Chief Executive Officer

and Superintendent of Financial Services

Financial Services Commission of Ontario

5160 Yonge Street, Box 85

Toronto, Ontario

M2N 6L9

Tel.: (416) 590-7250

Toll Free: 1 (800) 668-0128

Fax: (416) 590-7070

E-mail: priorities@fsco.gov.on.ca

Interested parties may send submissions by May 26, 2017, as directed on the FSCO website.

FSCO’s 2017 Statement of Priorities will be submitted to the Minister of Finance in June 2017 and will be published in The Ontario Gazette shortly thereafter.

(150-G142E)