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David Stevens

Partner Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 1998
People > David Stevens

David is dedicated to understanding his clients’ businesses and creates and implements solutions to advance their objectives. He is experienced and comfortable working within complex regulatory environments to find and optimize achievable outcomes. With the ability to hone in on the most crucial and meaningful details amongst large amounts of information, David identifies opportunities for his clients that others may miss.

As Practice Group Leader of the firm's Litigation Group and member of the Energy Group, David practises in the area of regulatory and commercial litigation.

For more than 15 years, David has advised gas and electric utilities, and other participants in Ontario’s electricity market, on a wide range of regulatory and commercial issues, and regularly appears before the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). Among other things, he assists clients with ratemaking applications, policy consultations, compliance issues, licencing, Measurement Canada issues and regulatory strategy. David often works with energy services providers to ensure that their business practices and documentation are compliant with relevant legal requirements, including those imposed by the OEB and by other government agencies (such as Consumer Services and Measurement Canada).

David is a frequent contributor to and lead editor of energyinsider.ca, which features commentary, analysis and news about legal and regulatory developments in Canada's energy sector, with particular focus on regulated entities in Ontario.

As a commercial litigator, David has been involved with a wide range of matters, including contractual disputes, fiduciary duty cases, competition matters, construction disputes, class proceedings, lease disputes, injunctions and professional negligence matters. He also has expertise in matters relating to Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act, and the obligations imposed by that statute.

David has appeared before the OEB and all levels of Ontario courts, including the Superior Court, Divisional Court and Court of Appeal, as well as before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court Trial Division, the Competition Tribunal, the Ontario Securities Commission and the Commissioner of Mining and Lands (Ontario).

David leads the Aird & Berlis LLP United Way Committee, which was the recipient of a 2016 United Way Toronto & York Region Spirit Award.  

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in Energy Regulatory Law

Professional Involvement

Memberships

  • The Advocates' Society

Representative Matters

  • Counsel to applicants in rate cases and other regulatory proceedings before the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), including the first “Custom IR” case, the first pre-approval of a long-term contract, rate adjustment proceedings, applications for approval of new services, compliance proceedings, customer service policy reviews, facilities approvals and review motions.
  • Counsel to a large technology company in a $10 million arbitration and subsequent $30 million Superior Court action related to the sale of a joint venture.
  • Counsel to a public company in an oppression remedy application involving securities law issues around a normal course issuer bid.
  • Counsel in an environmental contamination case related to a condominium development.
  • Counsel to the respondent in a leasing and bankruptcy dispute that culminated in a Supreme Court of Canada hearing.

Reported cases include:

  • Over fifty OEB proceedings, including:
    • EB-2017-0102 (Earnings Sharing)
    • EB-2017-0086 (Rate Adjustment)
    • EB-2015-0166 (Pre-approval of long-term contract)
    • EB-2012-0459 (Custom IR rate case)
    • EB-2012-0405 (Exemption from Distribution System Code)
    • EB-2011-0226 (Approval of customer care costs)
    • EB-2007-0731 (LPP class action costs)
    • EB-2006-0322 (Review Motion)
    • RP-2006-0034 (Cost of Service)
    • EB-2005-0551 (NGEIR)
  • Summary judgment motion arising from the sale of a joint venture and related arbitration decision: Nordion Inc. v. Life Technologies Inc., 2015 ONSC 1023.
  • Appeal of OEB decision around interpretation of settlement agreement: Enbridge Gas Distribution v. Ontario Energy Board, 2011 ONSC 684 (Div. Ct.).
  • Appeal of motion decision to strike portions of misrepresentation claim: Research Capital Corporation v. Skyservice Airlines Inc., 2009 ONCA 418.
  • Appeal on differentiated rates for low-income consumers: Advocacy Centre for Tenants-Ontario v. Ontario Energy Board, (2008), 293 D.L.R. (4th) 684.
  • Appeal addressing implications of bankruptcy on commercial lease:  Crystalline Investments Ltd. v. Domgroup Ltd., [2004] 1 SCR 60.
  • Oppression application re. public company: Renegade Capital Corp. v. Schmalz, 2003 CanLII 26110 (ON SC).
  • Summary judgment motion : Valleytank Inc. v. AR Plus Site Services (Canada) Inc., 2003 CanLII 19752 (ON SC).
  • Appeal of decision to deny accreditation to a member agency: Family and Credit Counselling Services York Region v. Ontario (Ass. of Non-Profit Counselling Services), 2003 CanLII 4039 (ON SCDC).

Selected Speaking Engagements

"Careers Breakfast," CAMPUT 2018, May 10, 2018.

"The Future of Energy Storage in Ontario," Ontario Energy Association Speaker Series, November 28, 2017.

"A Primer on Local Distribution Companies for Municipal Professionals," AMCTO Conference, June 13, 2017.

"Regulatory Update: Introduction to Bill 135 & Environmental Policies Impacting Building Construction and Operations," Energy Management: What’s New and What’s Next Thought Leadership Conference, October 26, 2016 and November 2, 2016.

 

Selected Publications

"The Colour of Money," Water Canada, September/October 2018.

"What's Next for the Ontario Energy Board?," Energy Regulation Quarterly, March 2018.

"OEB Issues Its Largest Rate Case Decision Ever," IPPSO FACTO (APPrO magazine), February 2018.

"Compressed Air Energy Storage Regulation Proposed,” IPPSO FACTO (APPrO magazine), December 2017.

"Third GHG Auction Sells Out," IPPSO FACTO (APPrO magazine), October 2017.

"Ontario's "Fair Hydro Plan" Comes at a (Future) Cost," Energy Regulation Quarterly, September 2017.

"Light Shed on When Electricity Distributors Can Share Customer Data With Police," The Lawyer's Daily, September 27, 2017.

"British Columbia Regulator has No Jurisdiction to Set Low Income Rates, Energy Regulation Quarterly, March 2017.

"Pole Attachment Charges – Ontario Energy Board Initiates a Comprehensive Review," Energy Regulation Quarterly, March 2016.

"Custom IR Rate Model Approved for Toronto Hydro," IPPSO FACTO (APPrO magazine), February 2016.

"Ontario Introduces Energy Planning Legislation," IPPSO FACTO (APPrO magazine), December 2015.

Contributing author with Fred D. Cass, Ron W. Clark and Scott Stoll, Ontario Energy Law: Electricity, December 2012, published by LexisNexis Canada.

Insights

Insights EnergyInsider Sep 17, 2018 OEB Issues Report Proposing Changes to Utility Customer Service Rules
Insights EnergyInsider Sep 06, 2018 OEB Allows Hydro One Motion to Review and Vary 2017/2018 Transmission Revenue Requirement Decision
Insights EnergyInsider Sep 05, 2018 Federal Court of Appeal Quashes Cabinet Approval of Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion
Insights EnergyInsider Aug 30, 2018 Ontario Natural Gas Distributors to End Cap and Trade Charges
Insights EnergyInsider Aug 27, 2018 OEB Confirms Rejection of Hydro One’s Proposed Acquisition of Orillia Power Distribution
Insights EnergyInsider Aug 17, 2018 Manitoba Hydro Appeals PUB Approval of Special Rates for On-Reserve First Nations Customers
Insights EnergyInsider Aug 16, 2018 Nova Scotia Utility Withdraws from Tidal Generation Project
Insights EnergyInsider Aug 07, 2018 2018: Energy Storage Developments in the Last Twelve Months
Insights EnergyInsider Aug 03, 2018 Ontario Introduces Legislation to Cancel the Cap and Trade Program
Insights EnergyInsider Jul 11, 2018 Ontario to Cancel White Pines Wind Project
Insights EnergyInsider Jul 05, 2018 Government of Ontario Officially Ends Cap and Trade
Insights EnergyInsider Jun 28, 2018 Green Ontario Fund To Be Wound Down By Incoming Government
Insights EnergyInsider Jun 28, 2018 OEB Issues Scoping Decision in Its Second “Proportionate Review” Proceeding
Insights EnergyInsider Jun 25, 2018 Aggregate Approach Applied By OEB to Determine Meaning of “Consumer” Under ECPA
Insights EnergyInsider Jun 19, 2018 Ontario Takes First Steps to “Cancel” Cap and Trade

Education

  • LLB, University of British Columbia, 1996
  • BA, Queen's University, 1992

Expertise