Regulation - LGIC
Proposed amendments to O. Reg. 275/04 made under the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 (OEBA); proposed amendments to O. Reg. 442/01 made under the OEBA; proposed regulations under the Ontario Fair Hydro Plan Act, 2017 (OFHPA), if passed; and revocation of spent provisions of O. Reg. 364/16 made under the Ontario Rebate for Electricity Consumers Act, 2016 (ORECA).
Regulation Number(s):
275/04
364/16
new regulations as appropriate
364/16
new regulations as appropriate
Instrument Type:
Regulation - LGIC
Bill or Act:
Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998; Ontario Rebate for Electricity Consumers Act, 2016; proposed Ontario Fair Hydro Plan Act, 2017
Summary of Proposal:
Regulations under proposed OFHPA, 2017:
ENERGY is proposing to create new regulations under the proposed OFHPA that would require invoices to include messaging related to Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan (OFHP) and the resultant bill impacts.
Beginning July 1, 2017, proposed regulations would require electricity vendors and unit sub-meter providers (USMPs) to set out the following statement on invoices in a location where conservation or other utility messages are usually placed:
Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan substantially lowers electricity bills for typical residential consumers. This includes the eight per cent rebate introduced in January 2017 and builds on previous initiatives to deliver broad-based relief on all electricity bills.
Regulations would also require electricity vendors and USMPs to accompany paper invoices with a descriptive bill insert to be issued once every quarter within a specific 12-month period, beginning with the first invoice issued on or after July 1, 2017 until the first invoice issued on or after July 1, 2018. The insert would state the following:
Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan
• Electricity bills will be lowered by 25 per cent on average for residential consumers
• Rate increases will be held to inflation for four years
• As many as half a million small businesses and farms will also benefit from this reduction
• Lower-income Ontarians and those living in eligible rural communities will receive even greater reductions, as much as a 40 to 50 per cent cut
The benefit will vary for individual consumers depending on electricity usage and service territory. These measures include the eight per cent rebate introduced in January 2017 and build on previous initiatives to deliver broad-based relief on all electricity bills.
To find out more, visit ontario.ca/FairHydroPlan.
Proposed regulations would also require electricity vendors identified in regulation as servicing customers on-reserve to include a "First Nations Delivery Credit" as a visible line item on invoices and demonstrate the associated savings, as applicable.
O. Reg. 275/04:
ENERGY proposes to amend O. Reg. 275/04 to remove invoicing requirements related to the debt retirement charge (DRC) exemption message, per s. 8.2. Electricity vendors and USMPs would no longer have to include informational messaging about the DRC on or with invoices, as required by O. Reg. 161/15, s. 6.
O. Reg. 442/01:
ENERGY proposes to repeal the requirement for Hydro One to include RRRP-related messaging on or with invoices under O. Reg. 442/01, s.6.
Amendments to O. Reg. 364/16:
In an effort to remove outdated messaging if the OFHPA is passed, ENERGY plans to revoke paragraphs 4 and 5 of ss. 2(1) and 3(1) of O. Reg. 364/16. These provisions prescribe the use of 8% provincial rebate messaging on or with invoices and envelopes.
If the proposed OFHPA is passed, this 8% rebate messaging would no longer be accurate given the 25% on average bill reductions contemplated by the proposed Act. Therefore, ENERGY is proposing to revoke these requirements in advance of July 1, 2017. The inclusion of an "8% Provincial Rebate" credit on invoices would remain.
Hydro One
ENERGY proposes to exempt Hydro One from specified electricity invoicing requirements prescribed under O. Reg. 275/04 and O. Reg. 364/16.
All proposed regulations and regulatory amendments would take effect on July 1, 2017.
ENERGY is proposing to create new regulations under the proposed OFHPA that would require invoices to include messaging related to Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan (OFHP) and the resultant bill impacts.
Beginning July 1, 2017, proposed regulations would require electricity vendors and unit sub-meter providers (USMPs) to set out the following statement on invoices in a location where conservation or other utility messages are usually placed:
Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan substantially lowers electricity bills for typical residential consumers. This includes the eight per cent rebate introduced in January 2017 and builds on previous initiatives to deliver broad-based relief on all electricity bills.
Regulations would also require electricity vendors and USMPs to accompany paper invoices with a descriptive bill insert to be issued once every quarter within a specific 12-month period, beginning with the first invoice issued on or after July 1, 2017 until the first invoice issued on or after July 1, 2018. The insert would state the following:
Ontario's Fair Hydro Plan
• Electricity bills will be lowered by 25 per cent on average for residential consumers
• Rate increases will be held to inflation for four years
• As many as half a million small businesses and farms will also benefit from this reduction
• Lower-income Ontarians and those living in eligible rural communities will receive even greater reductions, as much as a 40 to 50 per cent cut
The benefit will vary for individual consumers depending on electricity usage and service territory. These measures include the eight per cent rebate introduced in January 2017 and build on previous initiatives to deliver broad-based relief on all electricity bills.
To find out more, visit ontario.ca/FairHydroPlan.
Proposed regulations would also require electricity vendors identified in regulation as servicing customers on-reserve to include a "First Nations Delivery Credit" as a visible line item on invoices and demonstrate the associated savings, as applicable.
O. Reg. 275/04:
ENERGY proposes to amend O. Reg. 275/04 to remove invoicing requirements related to the debt retirement charge (DRC) exemption message, per s. 8.2. Electricity vendors and USMPs would no longer have to include informational messaging about the DRC on or with invoices, as required by O. Reg. 161/15, s. 6.
O. Reg. 442/01:
ENERGY proposes to repeal the requirement for Hydro One to include RRRP-related messaging on or with invoices under O. Reg. 442/01, s.6.
Amendments to O. Reg. 364/16:
In an effort to remove outdated messaging if the OFHPA is passed, ENERGY plans to revoke paragraphs 4 and 5 of ss. 2(1) and 3(1) of O. Reg. 364/16. These provisions prescribe the use of 8% provincial rebate messaging on or with invoices and envelopes.
If the proposed OFHPA is passed, this 8% rebate messaging would no longer be accurate given the 25% on average bill reductions contemplated by the proposed Act. Therefore, ENERGY is proposing to revoke these requirements in advance of July 1, 2017. The inclusion of an "8% Provincial Rebate" credit on invoices would remain.
Hydro One
ENERGY proposes to exempt Hydro One from specified electricity invoicing requirements prescribed under O. Reg. 275/04 and O. Reg. 364/16.
All proposed regulations and regulatory amendments would take effect on July 1, 2017.
Further Information:
Link to O. Reg. 275/04
Proposal Number:
17-ENE003
Posting Date:
May 19, 2017
Comments Due Date:
June 10, 2017
Contact Address:
77 Grenville Street, 6th Floor
Toronto, ON
M7A 2C1
Toronto, ON
M7A 2C1