Green Energy Act
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Ontario’s Green Energy Act (GEA), and related
amendments to other legislation, received Royal Assent on May 14, 2009.
The intention of the GEA is to boost investment in renewable energy
projects and increase conservation, creating green jobs and economic
growth to Ontario. Regulations and other tools needed to fully implement
the legislation continue to be introduced. AMO continues to seek
solutions to ensure that the implementation of the Act is feasible,
practical, and affordable.
AMO Documents
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Green Energy Act Links
Regulations Under the Green Energy Act
- Designations Re Section 5 of the Act [O. Reg
(15/10)] - eliminates a patchwork of local approval
requirements by designating the following priority renewable energy
projects and sources under the GEA:
- roof or wall mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems;
- roof or wall mounted solar thermal systems that heat air;
- roof or wall mounted solar thermal water systems that heat water;
and
- ground source heat pumps.
The new regulation eliminates a range of local approval requirements
that could previously restrict the installation of renewable energy
projects. Some examples of municipal by-laws and other restrictions that
may no longer act as barriers to such projects include:
- zoning and site planning requirements, height restrictions and
setbacks no longer apply for any of the designated technologies
- nuisance by-laws that restrict the installation of renewable energy
projects for non-health and safety reasons (e.g. requiring a fence
around roof mounted solar panels for aesthetic reasons )
AMO’s Energy Task Force worked with the province to ensure that
certain local requirements (e.g. property standards bylaws) and
Provincial Acts related to health, safety, heritage, and environmental
concerns remain in effect. This includes bylaws, instruments and
other restrictions that relate to the four classes of matters below:
- The prevention of injury to or the destruction of trees.
- The protection of groundwater.
- The designation and protection of properties, and other matters
under Ontario Heritage Act.
- Any activity or matter that is the subject of a regulation made by a
conservation authority under parts of the Conservation Authorities
Act.
Municipal Consultation
- Renewable Energy Approval Consultation
Form
Proponents are required by regulation (under ss. 18(2) Ontario
Regulation 359/09) to circulate the consultation form to the clerk of
every municipality where the project location is situated. Proponents
must also circulate the consultation form to Local Roads Board and Local
Service Board. The Municipal Consultation Form will address matters
relating to municipal or local infrastructure and servicing. Proponents
must also show how they addressed municipal or local authority concerns
or why they were unable to do so.
In addition, proponents must undertake the following requirements for
public consultation:
- At least two community meetings are required for each
municipality
- The project developer will also provide documentation of all
community consultation efforts and explain how issues raised during the
community consultation were addressed
- Studies and reports must be made publicly available 60 days before
final public meeting. Municipality will receive 90 days before
final public meeting
- Through guidance, province will encourage early and often
consultation with local community and municipality
For more information contact the Green Energy Unit of the Ministry of
the Environment.
Wind Turbines
AMO has compiled Ontario-based research efforts on wind turbines and
their alleged health impacts to help provide a resource for
municipalities dealing with a potential wind project in their area.
While by no means exhaustive, the following studies provide a good
overview of local investigations to date.
The review of existing scientific evidence on the potential health
impact of noise generated by wind turbines technical working group led
by the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) can be found here.
The presentation by Dr. Ray Copes, MD, MSc, and Dr. Karen Rideout,
MSc of the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health
entitled Wind Turbines and Health : A Review of Evidence can be
downloaded here.
Finally, the presentation from Acting MOH,
Chatham-Kent Dr. David Colby MSc, MD, FRCPC to the Clean Air Partnership
(CAP) on July 6, 2010, is an excellent summary of the research to
date.
Please contact Energy Services Coordinator Scott
Vokey at svokey@amo.on.ca if you have any additional resources
for inclusion on this page or if you have a best practice case study to
share.
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