Order in Council 1555/2024

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 the Government remains committed to ensuring Ontario has an affordable, reliable, and clean electricity system and considers it critical to expand Ontario’s transmission system to provide a reliable and adequate supply of electricity to Northeastern Ontario to support economic growth and electrification initiatives in the region;

And whereas the Independent Electricity System Operator, the organization responsible for ensuring the reliability of Ontario’s electricity grid, has published a bulk planning report dated October 27, 2022, entitled the “Need for Northeast Bulk System Reinforcements”, which recommended a new transmission line running between the south of Wawa and Timmins region as the appropriate and most cost-effective solution required to meet expected demand growth and system needs;

And whereas the Government has determined that the development of the transmission project should be undertaken by a transmitter that is best positioned to ensure that the infrastructure can be developed expediently and on a timeline that supports economic growth, and that has a demonstrated commitment to and progress toward advancing economic participation opportunities for Indigenous communities;

And whereas the Government has determined that the preferred manner of proceeding is to require Hydro One Networks Inc. to undertake the development of the transmission project, including taking any and all steps that are deemed to be necessary and desirable in order to seek required approvals and fulfilling, as part of the environmental assessment process and other applicable authorizations and permits, any procedural aspects of the Crown’s duty to consult potentially impacted Indigenous communities that may be delegated to it;

And whereas the Minister of Energy and Electrification has, with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, the authority to issue Directives pursuant to section 28.6.1 of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, which relate to the construction, expansion or re-enforcement of transmission systems and to designate a transmitter for this purpose;

Now therefore the Directive attached hereto is approved and shall be and is effective as of the date hereof.

Directive