Engaging Local Communities in Ontario’s Electricity Planning Continuum

In August 2013, a “report was prepared for the Minister of Energy by the Ontario Power Authority and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).” This report highlighted “how they can improve integrated regional planning process with a focus on improving how large energy infrastructure projects are sited in Ontario, including transparent mechanisms for public engagement.”

A significant portion of this report highlighted how important the communities voice is, early on in the planning process. You can read it in full here.

If you feel that your voice will not be heard, or that it does not matter, we encourage you to reconsider. Not only is this RFP not yet awarding any contracts, a significant portion of the proposals must include community engagement and show how they were engaged as a requirement of the RFP.

The collective voice recently generated enough pressure to overturn Doug Ford’s plan to open the Greenbelt up to further development. The value of the communities voice and the public eye on Greenbelt mismanagement are both in the communities favour at the moment. But we must take action.

Have you engaged on behalf of your community yet?