Order in Council 1377/2025

On the recommendation of the undersigned, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, by and with the advice and concurrence of the Executive Council of Ontario, orders that:

Whereas Ontario considers it critical to expand Ontario’s transmission system to provide a reliable and adequate supply of electricity to Southern Ontario to support economic growth in the regions, including the rapidly growing agricultural sector, and the future and potential growth in the nuclear generation sector;

And whereas Ontario considers the expansion of the electricity network in Southern Ontario to support economic growth to be a priority;

And whereas the Independent Electricity System Operator, the organization responsible for ensuring the reliability of Ontario’s electricity grid, has provided:

1. A report back to the Ministry of Energy and Mines dated December 17, 2024, entitled “Powering Ontario’s Growth Report Back: Transmission Development Plan” which identified and recommended several early actions the Government should take to advance transmission projects ahead of the completion of ongoing transmission studies underway, including the “South and Central Ontario Bulk Plan”. The Report Back recommended the development and construction of the reconductoring of Hydro One Network Inc.’s existing 230-kilovolt transmission lines between Orangeville and Barrie, and a new double-circuit 500-kilovolt transmission line from the Bowmanville to the Greater Toronto Area as the appropriate transmission solutions that it recommends to meet forecast electricity demand growth and system needs; and
2. The Windsor-Essex Integrated Regional Resource Plan, dated April 3, 2025, which confirmed the need for a new double-circuit 230-kilovolt transmission line from Windsor to Lakeshore as the appropriate transmission solution recommended by the IESO to meet regional needs.

And whereas the Ministry of Energy and Mines has published its Integrated Energy Plan, Energy for Generations: Ontario’s Integrated Plan to Power the Strongest Economy in the G7, dated June 12, 2025, in which the Government signaled its plan to take actions designed to alleviate bottlenecks in Ontario’s electricity transmission system so that power can be delivered where and when it is needed as recommended by the Independent Electricity System Operator.

And whereas the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make an order under section 96.1 of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 (the “Act”) declaring that the construction, expansion or reinforcement of an electricity transmission line specified in the order is needed as a priority project;

And whereas an order under section 96.1 of the Act requires the Ontario Energy Board, in considering an application under section 92 of the Act in respect of an electricity transmission line specified in the order, to accept that the construction, expansion or reinforcement is needed when forming its opinion under section 96 of the Act;

Now therefore it is hereby declared pursuant to section 96.1 of the Act that the construction, expansion or reinforcement of the following electricity transmission lines are needed as priority projects:

1. The reconductoring of a portion of Hydro One Network Inc.’s existing E8V/E9V 230-kilovolt transmission line from the Orangeville Transformer Station to the Essa Transformer Station, using advanced conductors;
2. A new double-circuit 500-kilovolt transmission line from the Bowmanville Switching Station to either the Parkway Transformer Station, Claireville Transformer Station, or Cherrywood Transformer Station, including associated station facility expansions or upgrades required at terminal stations; and,
3. A new double-circuit 230-kilovolt transmission line from the Lauzon Transformer Station to the Lakeshore Transformer Station, including associated station facility expansions or upgrades required at terminal stations.