OSEA's Municipal Green Energy Brief
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Municipalities are key partners in helping Ontario become a clean energy leader.
The municipal role in renewable energy development can include participating as a developer, encouraging projects for economic development purposes, establishing renewable energy policies and targets, providing comments and input on project design via the consultation process, authorizing the use of municipal property, entering into agreements with developers and enacting by-laws affecting projects, or any combination of these roles.
This guide is intended to help municipalities understand the renewable energy development process, with particular attention paid to the rights, responsibilities and opportunities for municipalities to be meaningful participants in development.
Description: Form used to apply for a consultation for a renewable energy approval.
Ontario is funding an academic research program being led by Dr. Siva Sivoththaman, Ontario Research Chair in Renewable Energy Technologies and Health. Dr. Sivoththaman, a faculty member at the University of Waterloo, was awarded the research chair position in 2010, following an independent and competitive application process, administered by theCouncil of Ontario Universities. He is an internationally known scientist in the field of renewable energy. Dr. Sivoththaman and his team are: Dr. Sivoththaman will have access to facilities in related academic departments within the University of Waterloo. He will also collaborate with researchers from the university’s faculty of applied health sciences.
When developing the Renewable Energy Approvals (REA) regulation, the Ministry of the Environment used existing scientific research from around the world. Reviewing a large body of reports and studies enabled the ministry to develop a regulation that was based on the best available science to protect human health and the environment. The ministry continues to review emerging scientific and engineering studies to ensure Ontario’s REA regulation remains in line with the latest and best in science.
Ontario’s feed-in tariff or FIT Program is North America’s first comprehensive guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production. It offers stable prices under long-term contracts for energy generated from renewable sources, including: The FIT Program was enabled by the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009which was passed into law on May 14, 2009. The Ontario Power Authority is responsible for implementing the program. By encouraging the development of renewable energy in Ontario, the FIT Program will: For an overview of the FIT Program, please click here.
The Green Energy and Green Economy Act triggered the creation of the Renewable Energy Approvals process under the Environmental Protection Act. A Renewable Energy Approval ensures projects meeting Ontario’s standards to protect human health and the environment - standards that are among the strictest in North America, including a 550-metre setback for wind turbines and a 40-decible noise limit.
Click the title above to review the Renewable Energy Approvals regulation in full.
All Renewable Energy Approvals (the process that merged a patchwork of processes) that are under review are posted on the Ministry of the Environment’s website. With this page you can easily see who has progressed, who has had to go back and do some more work and who have withdrawn or been asked to withdraw from the process.
Really. Please ask them questions. Anything you like.
The Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) is one of the five Tribunals within the Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario cluster. The ERT is committed to conducting timely, fair, efficient and impartial hearings that protect the environment and are consistent with the governing legislation.
The ERT functions as a quasi-judicial body, subject to the rules of natural justice and the requirements of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act.
The ERT primary role is adjudicating applications and appeals under various environmental and planning statutes.
The ERT hears applications and appeals under the Clean Water Act, 2006, the Environmental Assessment Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Nutrient Management Act, 2002, the Ontario Water Resources Act, the Pesticides Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, the Toxics Reduction Act, 2009, leave to appeal applications under the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993, and matters under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, 2001, and the Greenbelt Act, 2005.
The Environmental Review Tribunal also functions as the Office of Consolidated Hearings to hear applications made under theConsolidated Hearings Act and as the Niagara Escarpment Hearing Office to hear development permit appeals and Niagara Escarpment Plan amendment applications under the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act.
Anyone can appeal the approval of a proposed renewable energy project. The Environmental Review Tribunal will have six months to assess whether or not the proposed project will cause serious harm to human health or serious and irreversible harm to plant life, animal life or the natural environment.
This balances the need for certainty and timeliness of approvals with the need for legitimate concerns to be heard and addressed.
For more information on the Environmental Review Tribunal and how to appeal, please visit www.ert.gov.on.ca.
