Ontario is making it easier for energy developers and manufacturers to do business in the province. This is part of ongoing efforts to help provide stability and create jobs in Ontario’s clean energy sector while protecting the health and safety of Ontarians and the environment. Changes include:

• A new stage in the development of renewable energy projects that will provide greater stability to developers and manufacturers, helping to create jobs in Ontario: 
  • Developers who are able to demonstrate a completed Domestic Content Plan and a manufacturing equipment agreement will now be able to request a waiver of the Ontario Power Authority’s termination rights. Projects will still be required to submit a financing plan, connection impact assessment and obtain all regulatory approvals before proceeding to the construction stage.

   

• Improvements to the Renewable Energy Approvals (REA) process that will provide greater certainty for developers, while continuing Ontario’s rigorous protection of the environment and human health.
• Based on recent consultations, the Ministry of Finance has proposed new rules to provide greater clarity and stability to the property tax assessment of renewable energy projects.

These changes will further advance Ontario as the leading destination for clean energy investment. Ontario’s clean energy sector has already created 20,000 jobs to date and is on track to create 50,000 jobs by the end of 2012.

• More than 2,000 mid-size and large-scale Feed-in Tariff projects have been awarded contracts, representing enough electricity each year to power more than 1.1 million homes.
• Since 2009, more than 30 businesses have announced they are setting up or expanding plants in Ontario to manufacture parts for the solar and wind industries.
• Ontario leads Canada in photovoltaic solar capacity and is currently home to the world’s largest operational solar photovoltaic farm located in Sarnia.
• In 2003, Ontario had only 10 wind turbines. Today, the province has more than 900 wind turbines and is home to Canada’s four largest wind farms.

• Read about Ontario’s Long Term Energy Plan: Building Our Clean Energy Future
• Learn more about Renewable Energy Approvals
• Learn more about renewable energy in Ontario
• Get details about the Feed-In Tariff Program
• Find out about the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit
• Creating Stability for Clean Energy Projects