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Stakeholder Dialogue
The Ontario Energy Board is committed to fair, transparent and inclusive processes where those who operate in the energy sector and are affected by Board decisions have the ability to share their views.
Stakeholder Consultation Processes
Section 4.4 of the OEB Act, 1998 provides that “The Board shall establish one or more processes by which consumers, distributors, generators, transmitters and other persons who have an interest in the electricity industry may provide advice and recommendations for consideration by the Board.”
Regular interaction with stakeholders is an integral part of the Board’s adjudicative and regulatory policy development activities. Further, the Board takes a number of steps to consult with stakeholders outside of regulatory processes that deal with specific applications or regulatory policy initiatives. These steps are described in more detail below:
- The Board consults broadly with stakeholders whenever it undertakes a policy review in the natural gas or electricity sector. This level of consultation goes beyond the legal requirement of holding a hearing before making an order and providing for notice and comment before issuing a rule or code. Stakeholder consultations take many forms, including working groups, consultatives and research initiatives. Recent examples of these initiatives include:
- Cost of Capital and 2nd Generation Incentive Regulation
- Filing Guidelines applicable to the OPA's Integrated Power System Plan and Procurement Processes
- Smart Meter Initiative
- The Regulated Price Plan
- The Board has made funding available to facilitate the participation of consumer groups and other stakeholders in these initiatives.
- The Board carries out a regular survey of stakeholders, the Stakeholder Perception Index. Senior leaders of regulated entities, sectoral associations, intervenor organizations and knowledgeable observers of the energy sector are asked about the Board’s performance, so that the OEB can identify areas for improvement.
- The Board handles inquiries directly from consumers. These are gathered by the Correspondence Unit and the Consumer Relations Centre of the Communications and Public Affairs Department. The Board is initiating annual reporting on the types of issues raised by consumers in these inquiries.
- The Board publishes its draft business plan, with Performance Measures, on the OEB web site for stakeholder comment.
- The Board holds regular meetings with its stakeholders to exchange views and elicit feedback about Board processes and priorities.
To facilitate an open dialogue with stakeholders, the Board is instituting regular roundtable meetings that take place throughout the year and provide a forum for meaningful and constructive exchange of views.