Advanced Renewable Tariffs (Standard Offer Contracts) in Ontario: Chronology

January 24, 2006

Ver. 01

2004: February, The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) launches its campaign for Advanced Renewable Tariffs in Canada's most populous province.

2004: March, OSEA makes presentation on ARTs to the Ontario government's Conservation Action Team at the request of Donna Cansfield, MPP, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy.

2004: October, OSEA holds Forum on Renewable Energy Tariffs in Toronto with guest speakers Dr. Hermann Scheer, MdB; PEI Minister of Energy Jamie Ballem, Dr. Frede Hvelplund, and Dr. Olav Hohmeyer.

Premier's Office signals interest in "new mechanism other than an RFP" for distributed wind energy projects in Ontario.

Ontario's Renewable Energy Task Team drafts policy on Standard Offer Contracts in response to government's request for "new mechanism" for developing renewable energy.

2004: November, OSEA makes presentations on ARTs to the Association of Power Producers of Ontario and senior members of the Ontario Ministry of Energy.

Canada's National Farmers Union endorses ARTs at its annual conference.

Ontario's Liberal party adopts Advanced Renewable Tariffs as part of the party's energy policy platform.

2004: December, OSEA commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Energy to propose a policy for developing community-owned renewable power projects.

OSEA hosts pricing workshop for "stakeholders" with ADEME's Bernard Chabot, on prices needed for renewable sources of energy in Ontario.

OSEA submits draft report to Ontario Ministry of Energy.

2005: February, Ontario Ministry of Energy begins weighing use of renewable energy tariffs, or what it calls Standard Offer Contracts, for small (~10 MW) renewable projects.

2005: July, Ontario Ministry of Energy releases OSEA report (dated May 2005) on Standard Offer Contracts.

2005: September, Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty endorses Standard Offer Contracts for community renewable development in a speech to the Ontario Energy Association.

2005: October, Ontario Power Authority and Ontario Electricity Board staff meet with OSEA and Bernard Chabot on pricing model.

2005: November, Ontario Power Authority issues discussion paper on Standard Offer Contracts and holds public hearings.

2005: December, Ontario Power Authority prepares draft recommendations to the Minster of Energy.

2006: January, Ontario Power Authority finalizes recommendations to Minister of Energy.

2006: March, The Minister of Energy issues a directive to the Ontario Power Authority launching a Standard Offer program in Ontario.

2006: June, implementation of Ontario's Standard Offer Program is expected to begin.

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