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.
Need help? Have questions? The folks at the Renewable Energy Facilitation Office are here to assist you. To assist in developing new renewable energy projects, the province has established the Renewable Energy Facilitation Office (REFO), a one-window access point for where individuals, communities and municipalities with projects of all sizes can obtain information and connect with the appropriate government and agency resources. If you are thinking about a renewable energy project but are unsure of what’s involved, then REFO is a good starting point for you. Contact REFO by e-mail at REFO@ontario.ca or by phone at 1-877-440-7336 (416-212-6582 within the GTA.) While inquiries can be directed to the office at any time, a REFO advisor is available Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm EST.
Green energy includes conservation, renewables and clean distributed energy supported by micro grids and storage. We have included a full explanation and a downloadable PDF.
Community ownership and benefit, not more red tape
MPP Todd Smith of Prince Edward Hastings has tabled a bill based on concerns expressed about windmill development and municipal control.
Unfortunately Mr. Smith may have fallen prey to two myths that are being perpetuated. The first myth is that municipalities have no power regarding green energy project siting or design. The second is that the Planning Act with its patchwork of standards, burdensome processes for under-resourced municipalities and endless red tape is a preferable option.
Municipalities under the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (GEGEA) do have significant powers. In fact with only 1MW of wind constructed since the Act was passed, those examining the facts should recognize that large wind developments now in operation were developed under the old Planning Act. The truth is that the province-wide Renewable Energy Approvals (REA) process is open and transparent, requiring a more rigorous and cohesive process than the red tape heavy patchwork approach of the past.
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