Minister’s directive

To: The Ontario Energy Board

I, Greg Rickford, hereby direct the Ontario Energy Board (“the Board”) pursuant to section 28.6.1 of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 as follows:

  1. The Board shall amend the conditions of the electricity transmission licence of Upper Canada Transmission Inc., operating as NextBridge Infrastructure LP (“NextBridge”) to include a requirement that NextBridge proceed to do the following related to the construction, expansion or re-enforcement of the transmission system for the East-West Tie Line Project, whose purpose is to provide a reliable and adequate supply of electricity to Northwestern Ontario:
    1. Develop, seek approvals in respect of, and proceed with immediacy to construct, expand or re-enforce the East-West Tie Line Project.
  2. The Board shall amend the conditions of NextBridge’s licence to require that NextBridge provide such reporting to the Board and the Independent Electricity System Operator (“IESO”) as the Board or the IESO may, from time to time, consider appropriate with respect to the progress, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of the construction, expansion, or re-enforcement activities of the East-West Tie Line Project referred to in paragraph 1. At a minimum, the Board shall require that NextBridge provide the Board and the IESO with regular reports on construction progress, budget, timing, and risks in relation to the East-West Tie Line Project.
  3. The Board shall make the amendments to the electricity transmission licence of NextBridge without holding a hearing.

[Signed by]
Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines

Order in Council 52/2019