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A Look Back at Our Top Energy Stories From 2020 By David Stevens Jan 21, 2021 In the energy sector, the Ontario government announced a number of initiatives in 2020 to help th... In the energy sector, the Ontario government announced a number of initiatives in 2020 to help those who were struggling to pay their energy bills as a result of COVID-19. However, a few other issues made headlines as well and in this article, we look back at a few of the top stories we covered o...

Posted in: Ontario | Ratemaking | Consumer Protection

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Changes Coming for Ontario Electricity Consumers By David Stevens Sep 09, 2020 The Ontario Energy Board has now issued final amendments to the Standard Supply Service Code to s... The Ontario Energy Board has now issued final amendments to the Standard Supply Service Code to support the customer election process necessary to switch from time-of-use pricing to tiered pricing.

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OEB Proposes Updated Rules for Consumers Switching Away From TOU Pricing By David Stevens and Angela Oh Aug 31, 2020 As discussed previously, the Government of Ontario has announced that Regulated Price Plan consum... As discussed previously, the Government of Ontario has announced that Regulated Price Plan consumers will be able to opt out of time-of-use pricing in favour of tiered prices starting November 1, 2020.

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OEB Proposes to Amend the Standard Supply Service Code to Allow Consumers to Opt-Out of TOU Pricing By David Stevens and Angela Oh Jul 21, 2020 As discussed in a previous post, the Government of Ontario recently announced that Regulated Pric... As discussed in a previous post, the Government of Ontario recently announced that Regulated Price Plan consumers will be able to opt out of time-of-use pricing in favour of tiered prices starting November 1, 2020.

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Ontario Government Directs the IESO to Review Generation Contracts and Large Customer Billing Practices By David Stevens Nov 08, 2019 As indicated in the Ontario government’s 2019 Fall Economic Update, the Ontario Minister of Energy recently issued two Directives to the Independent Electricity System Operator.

Posted in: Ontario | Consumer Protection

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Smart Metering Entity Not Permitted to Sell Customer Data to Third Parties at Market Prices Nov 01, 2019 The Ontario Energy Board recently rejected an application by the Independent Electricity System Operator, in its capacity as the provincial Smart Metering Entity, to sell non-personal data about electricity usage to third parties at market prices.

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Climate Change Litigation: Actions Against Corporations By Christian Nianiaris Aug 27, 2019 Both public and private actors have brought litigation against corporations involved in the fossil fuel industry seeking redress for costs arising from climate change impacts.

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Ontario Government Planning Expanded Rebate to Electricity Customers By David Stevens Jul 18, 2019 On July 9, the Ontario government posted a Proposal of planned changes to regulations under the Ontario Rebate for Electricity Consumers Act, 2016 that are intended to allow for and direct expanded on-bill rebates or credits for Ontario electricity consumers.

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Measurement Canada to Regulate Thermal Energy Meters By David Stevens Apr 17, 2019 Until recently, there have not been any specific requirements for thermal energy meters within the Weights and Measures Act. However, as of July 1, all newly-installed thermal energy meters will have to be approved by Measurement Canada.

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Ontario Court Confirms Dismissal of Proposed Class Action Against Hydro One By David Stevens Jan 25, 2019 On December 31, 2018, the Ontario Divisional Court dismissed an appeal of a November 2017 Decision denying certification of a class action against Hydro One Networks Inc. The proposed class action relates to alleged overcharges resulting from the rollout of a new customer informati...

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OEB Takes Next Steps to Implement Changes to Utility Customer Service Rules By David Stevens Dec 19, 2018 On December 18, 2018, the Ontario Energy Board issued a Notice setting out next steps to implement the findings in the Report on the Review of Customer Service Rules for Utilities.

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OEB Initiates Phase 2 of Its Customer Service Rules Review By David Stevens Nov 13, 2018 The Ontario Energy Board has now announced plans to proceed with “Phase 2” of its Customer Service Rules Review. This article outlines key areas of focus.

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OEB Issues Report Proposing Changes to Utility Customer Service Rules By David Stevens Sep 17, 2018 As we discussed in an earlier post, the Ontario Energy Board has been engaged in a review of Customer Service Rules for Electricity and Gas consumers. This was promised at the time that the OEB first implemented new rules to ban local electricity distribution companies from disconnecting...

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Aggregate Approach Applied By OEB to Determine Meaning of “Consumer” Under ECPA By David Stevens and Stan Fedun Jun 25, 2018 The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) recently ruled that the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010, (the Act) allows a retailer to aggregate a customer’s consumption at multiple locations for the purpose of determining whether or not that customer is exempt from certain requirements u...

Posted in: Ontario | Consumer Protection

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Ontario Implements New Restrictions on Door-to-Door Transactions, but Delays Some New Requirements to May 1st By David Stevens Mar 05, 2018 As described in recent posts, Ontario has implemented new provisions of the Ontario Consumer Protection Act that will prohibit a range of door-to door consumer transactions. The new rules, which came into effect on March 1, 2018, make unsolicited “...

Posted in: Ontario | Consumer Protection

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Ontario Publishes Documentation Requirements for Exempt HVAC Door-to-Door Transactions By David Stevens Feb 12, 2018 Recently, we wrote about new provisions of the Ontario Consumer Protection Act (CPA) that will prohibit a range of door-to door consumer transactions. The new rules, which come into effect on March 1, 2018, will make unsolicited “direct agreements” unenforceable for HVAC...

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OEB Announces Additional RPP Pricing Pilot Program Approvals By David Stevens Feb 06, 2018 The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has recently announced another participant in its Regulated Price Plan (RPP) pricing pilot program. CustomerFirst will test two different RPP pricing pilots in the service territories of 6 distributors: Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd., Greater Sudbury Hydro In...

Posted in: Consumer Protection | Ontario

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Ontario Ban on Door-to-Door Agreements for HVAC Products Comes Into Effect on March 1, 2018 By David Stevens Jan 24, 2018 New provisions of the Ontario Consumer Protection Act will prohibit a range of door-to-door consumer transactions. The new rules, which come into effect on March 1, 2018, will make unsolicited “direct agreements” for HVAC equipment and other household appliances une...

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Ontario Proposes New Regulations to Support Expanded Net Metering By David Stevens Dec 08, 2017 A series of recent postings to Ontario’s Regulatory Registry set out proposed amended or new regulations that are intended to support expanded net metering opportunities in Ontario. These proposals follow the commitment in Ontario’s 2017 Long-Term Energy Plan (2017 LTEP) to give customers ne...

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Court Denies Certification of Proposed Class Action Against Hydro One By David Stevens Dec 07, 2017 On November 28, 2017, the Ontario Superior Court dismissed a motion to certify a class action against Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) that sought damages of $100 million related to alleged overcharges resulting from the rollout of a new customer information system (CIS) starting in 2...

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Directives Issued to IESO and OEB to Prepare Implementation Plans for 2017 LTEP By David Stevens Nov 16, 2017 In late October, Ontario’s Minister of Energy (Glenn Thibeault) issued Directives to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), requiring each body to prepare “implementation plans” setting out the steps they intend to take to impleme...

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Ontario Ministry of Energy Proposes Regulatory Changes to Start Implementing 2017 LTEP By David Stevens Nov 15, 2017 As we discussed in an earlier post, many of the new initiatives set out in Ontario’s 2017 Long-Term Energy Plan (2017 LTEP) will require changes to statutes and/or regulations. Late last month, the Ontario Ministry of Energy announced changes to a couple of regulations t...

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OEB Again Bans Winter Disconnections of Residential Electricity Customers By David Stevens Nov 06, 2017 On November 2, 2017, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) issued a Decision and Order amending the licences of electricity distributors to direct that residential customers may not be disconnected during the winter season. This follows a similar OEB direction last winter that was put into ...

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Ontario’s New Long Term Energy Plan Stays the Course By David Stevens Nov 01, 2017 On October 26, 2017, Ontario’s Minister of Energy Glenn Thibeault released Ontario’s 2017 Long-Term Energy Plan (2017 LTEP). This long-awaited document is intended to set the course for Ontario’s energy supply over the coming years. While the 2017 LTEP does include some new plans and initiatives,...

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