Author(s):
Richard J. King
Dec 4, 2017
Unlike the United States, the electricity markets in Canada are regulated primarily at the provincial level as opposed to the federal level. Consequently, the legal and policy framework in each province is different. While the electricity sectors in a number of provinces are dominated by government-owned vertically integrated utilities, Alberta and Ontario both moved to competitive, open-access markets in 2001. However, due to price volatility, Ontario quickly reversed its move to a fully “deregulated” market. Now, Ontario has what is referred to as a “hybrid market” with a real-time spot price for power, but most new generation procured by way of long-term, government-backed contracts.
In the Canada chapter of Getting the Deal Through: Electricity Regulation 2018, Richard King, a partner in Osler’s Regulatory, Environmental, Aboriginal and Land Practice Group, outlines the regulation and business of electricity generation, distribution, transmission and supply in Ontario. The topics covered by Richard include
- government policy and legislative framework
- organizational structure of the electricity market
- regulation of electricity utilities including power generation, transmission, distribution and sales of power
- climate change and its impact
- authorities responsible for determining regulatory policy and the scope of their authority
- prevention and prosecution of anti-competitive practices
- restrictions that exist on transactions between electricity utilities and their affiliates
DOWNLOAD PDF: Ontario Electricity Regulation
Reproduced with the permission of Law Business Research Ltd. (published in November 2017; contributing editors: Kirsti Massie, White & Case LLP). For more information, visit Getting the Deal Through.