Minister’s Directive

To: The Independent Electricity System Operator

I, Todd Smith, Minister of Energy (“Minister”), hereby direct the Independent Electricity System Operator (“IESO”) pursuant to section 25.32 of the Electricity Act, 1998 (the “Act”) in regard to further amendments to the Ministerial direction dated November 21, 2014 and titled “Support Programs”.

Background

The IESO’s Indigenous energy support programs, including as described in the Support Programs direction, support the continued leadership and participation of First Nation and Métis communities in Ontario’s energy sector. In order to meet the growing need for community capacity building funding for Indigenous communities, an amendment to the Support Programs direction to increase the allocation of annual funding is required.

Directive

Therefore, in accordance with the authority I have pursuant to section 25.32 of the Act, the IESO is hereby directed as follows:

  1. Section 7 of the Support Programs direction is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

    “7. The IESO shall allocate funds totaling not more than $15 million annually to its Indigenous energy support programs that support community capacity building, including energy planning and energy infrastructure development, as well as the building of energy knowledge and awareness, and skills related to energy projects, including those programs described in this direction and their successors (the “Support Programs”). The IESO shall design and administer the Support Programs directly and as it determines necessary to meet the policy objectives set out in this direction, working in consultation with the Ministry.”

General

For greater clarity, except as amended by the Ministerial direction dated October 26, 2017 and titled “Amendments to Ministerial Directions Arising from the Long-Term Energy Plan 2017”, all other terms of the Support Programs direction dated November 21, 2014 shall remain in full force and effect.

This Directive takes effect on the date it is issued.

Order in Council 1529/2023