Rethinking Energy Conservation in Ontario – Results: Introduction

In November, 2010, the ECO released volume 2 of its Annual Report on the progress of activities in Ontario to reduce or make more efficient use of electricity, natural gas, propane, oil and transportation fuels. Click here for more information on this report, including videos and communications materials.
Executive Summary Introduction Conservation Program Evaluation	Government-Established Targets Council of the Federation Energy Efficiency Target Province-Wide Electricity Conservation Targets Targets for Smart Meters and Time-of-Use Electricity Prices Electricity Conservation Targets in Ontario Government Operations Transportation Fuels Standards Electric Vehicle Goal Education Sector Conservation Benchmarking	Progress on Selected Initiatives Ontario Power Authority Demand Response Programs Natural Gas Utility Conservation Programs MicroFIT Home Energy Savings Program (HESP) Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive (OSTHI) Municipal Eco Challenge Fund (MECF) The OPS Green Transformation Strategy Green Commercial Vehicle Program

The ECO’s Reporting Mandate

The Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009, proclaimed in May 2009, introduced legislative amendments to several existing acts. As part of these legislative changes, the Environmental Bill of Rights,1993 (EBR) was amended and the reporting mandate of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) was expanded. The ECO was given a new responsibility to report annually to the Speaker of the Assembly on:

• The progress of activities in Ontario to reduce or make more efficient use of electricity, natural gas, propane, oil and transportation fuels;
• The progress in meeting any government-established targets to reduce energy consumption and increase efficient use of these fuels; and,
• Barriers to conservation and energy efficiency.

The ECO’s Reporting Approach

The purpose of our annual progress report is to respond to our threefold statutory obligation outlined above. By mandate, the 2009 report covers the period January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009. The ECO relies on data that other organizations are required by regulation and policy direction to collect. Production of the report is to some extent reliant on the timing in which this data is received. To address this, the Annual Energy Conservation Report – 2009 has been issued as two separate documents:

• Volume One was issued May 3, 2010 and covered the broader policy and regulatory framework governing energy conservation in Ontario.
• This report is Volume Two and describes initiatives underway, assesses the energy savings that have been achieved and measures progress on targets.