OntarioPassed43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 165 explained in plain English

Keeping Energy Costs Down Act, 2024

Natural Resources & Energy Democratic Institutions & Elections

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

How This Type of Bill Becomes Law Official source

At a glance

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Legislature / Parliament

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Session

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 165

Full title

Keeping Energy Costs Down Act, 2024

Current status

Passed

Latest event

Royal Assent received

Last updated

May 16, 2024

Sponsor

Todd Smith

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Current Stage

Royal Assent received

Latest Activity

May 16, 2024

Sponsor

Todd Smith

Plain-language explanation

In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing

Short Version

This Act amends the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, to give the Minister of Energy more power to direct the Ontario Energy Board on hearings, change rules for revenue horizon determinations, and modify approval processes for natural gas infrastructure, all with the stated goal of keeping energy costs down.

What It Means

Bill 165, also known as the Keeping Energy Costs Down Act, 2024, amends the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998. It introduces new powers for the Minister of Energy to issue directives regarding hearings held by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) on natural gas and electricity matters. It also changes how revenue horizons are determined for the natural gas distribution system and modifies rules for approving the construction of natural gas lines. The bill aims to ensure decisions made by the OEB consider government priorities, including keeping energy costs down, and involve broader consumer and stakeholder input.

What This Bill Does

Authorizes the Minister of Energy to issue directives requiring the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) to hold 'generic hearings' on specific natural gas or electricity matters.
Introduces a new process for setting a 'revenue horizon' for the natural gas distribution system, which may be determined by regulation or by the OEB through a hearing.
Modifies the requirements and powers related to the approval of new natural gas transmission or dual-purpose transmission and distribution lines.
Re-enacts and expands provisions related to OEB processes for obtaining stakeholder input and representing consumer interests in both the electricity and gas industries.
Changes how exemptions from leave-to-construct requirements for hydrocarbon lines or stations can be granted.
Specifies that certain directives and regulatory actions under this bill are not subject to the usual duties of procedural fairness.

Who Is Affected

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB)
The Minister of Energy
Persons or entities regulated by the OEB
Natural gas consumers, distributors, transmitters, and storage companies
Electricity consumers, distributors, generators, and transmitters
The Lieutenant Governor in Council

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

The Minister has the authority to issue directives, subject to Lieutenant Governor in Council approval, requiring the OEB to hold generic hearings.
The OEB must implement directives requiring generic hearings.
The OEB must establish processes for stakeholder input and representation of consumer interests in both electricity and gas industries.
The OEB must hold hearings to determine revenue horizons if regulations require it.
The OEB must make orders exempting persons from leave-to-construct requirements if prescribed circumstances are met.
Directives and certain regulatory actions under this bill override conflicting rules under the Statutory Powers Procedure Act or other laws.
The OEB cannot deviate from the requirements of directives issued under sections 28.8 and 96.2.

Important Dates

The Act received Royal Assent on May 16, 2024, and most provisions come into force on that day.
Subsection 5 (2) comes into force on January 1, 2029, or an earlier day proclaimed by the Lieutenant Governor.
Subsection 5 (1), sections 6 and 7, subsection 8 (2), section 9, and subsection 10 (2) come into force on a day named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.
Directives under section 96.2 (4) apply to orders made on or after February 22, 2024, and before January 1, 2025.
Section 36.0.1 is repealed on January 1, 2029, or an earlier day proclaimed by the Lieutenant Governor.

Financial Or Tax Impacts

The bill impacts how revenue horizons are determined for the natural gas distribution system, affecting how costs are allocated for new connections and capacity increases.
Directives under section 96.2 may require that certain natural gas consumers bear the full cost of a new transmission line and may prohibit the OEB from requiring contributions in aid of construction or surcharges from these consumers.

Enforcement Or Penalties

The bill does not specify penalties for non-compliance; however, it states that the OEB must implement directives issued by the Minister, and failure to do so could have consequences within the framework of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998.

Uncertainties Or Limits

The specific content of regulations that may be made under the Act is not detailed in the bill.
The exact timelines and procedures for generic hearings or revenue horizon determinations are subject to directives and regulations.
The application of directives to ongoing proceedings is subject to specific conditions outlined in the bill.
The bill indicates that certain actions are not subject to procedural fairness, which may limit avenues for challenge.
The effectiveness of the repeal of section 36.0.1 on January 1, 2029, or a proclaimed date, means the provisions related to revenue horizons may only be temporary.

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998

amends

Amends various sections of the Act to introduce new powers for the Minister to issue directives, change the definition and authority for 'generic hearings', modify rules for revenue horizon determination, update provisions on stakeholder input and consumer representation, and alter the process for granting exemptions for constructing natural gas infrastructure.

Source: Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Statutory Powers Procedure Act

amends

Specifies that certain directives issued under the new section 28.8 and section 96.2, and actions taken by the OEB to comply with regulations made under the new section 36.0.1, are not subject to duties of procedural fairness, despite this Act or other laws.

Source: Sections 28.8 (7), 36.0.1 (9), 96.2 (6)

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Process Snapshot

Step 1

First reading

Feb 22, 2024

Step 2

Second reading

Apr 16, 2024

Step 3

Committee review

Apr 16, 2024

Step 4

Third reading

May 15, 2024

Step 5

Royal assent

May 16, 2024

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

May 15, 2024

96 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.

Sponsor

Todd Smith

Sponsor party or district not listed

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

Representative	Role	Riding	Party	Vote	Notes
Todd SmithSponsor MPP	MPP	Bay of Quinte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aris Babikian MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Agincourt	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Saunderson MPP	MPP	Simcoe—Grey	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Christine Hogarth MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Dave Smith MPP	MPP	Peterborough—Kawartha	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
David Smith MPP	MPP	Scarborough Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Dawn Gallagher Murphy MPP	MPP	Newmarket—Aurora	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Goldie Ghamari MPP	MPP	Carleton	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin MPP	MPP	Barrie—Innisfil	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Caroline Mulroney MPP	MPP	York—Simcoe	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Donna Skelly MPP	MPP	Flamborough—Glanbrook	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Ford MPP	MPP	Etobicoke North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. George Pirie MPP	MPP	Timmins	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graham McGregor MPP	MPP	Brampton North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Greg Rickford MPP	MPP	Kenora—Rainy River	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Jill Dunlop MPP	MPP	Simcoe North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kevin Holland MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Atikokan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kinga Surma MPP	MPP	Etobicoke Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael A. Tibollo MPP	MPP	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Mike Harris MPP	MPP	Kitchener—Conestoga	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta MPP	MPP	Mississauga Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nina Tangri MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Streetsville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nolan Quinn MPP	MPP	Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy MPP	MPP	Pickering—Uxbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Rob Flack MPP	MPP	Elgin—Middlesex—London	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff MPP	MPP	Niagara West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stan Cho MPP	MPP	Willowdale	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Lecce MPP	MPP	King—Vaughan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Steve Clark MPP	MPP	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy MPP	MPP	Durham	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Trevor Jones MPP	MPP	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Victor Fedeli MPP	MPP	Nipissing	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Rouge Park	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Yakabuski MPP	MPP	Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Laura Smith MPP	MPP	Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lorne Coe MPP	MPP	Whitby	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Matthew Rae MPP	MPP	Perth—Wellington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Patrice Barnes MPP	MPP	Ajax	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rick Byers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Robin Martin MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stéphane Sarrazin MPP	MPP	Glengarry—Prescott—Russell	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Vincent Ke MPP	MPP	Don Valley North	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Adil Shamji MPP	MPP	Don Valley East	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Aislinn Clancy MPP	MPP	Kitchener Centre	Green Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrea Hazell MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Guildwood	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Bhutila Karpoche MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Chandra Pasma MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Guy Bourgouin MPP	MPP	Mushkegowuk—James Bay	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jeff Burch MPP	MPP	Niagara Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jill Andrew MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Joel Harden MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Fraser MPP	MPP	Ottawa South	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Vanthof MPP	MPP	Timiskaming—Cochrane	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Karen McCrimmon MPP	MPP	Kanata—Carleton	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP	MPP	Toronto Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lise Vaugeois MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Superior North	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Marit Stiles MPP	MPP	Davenport	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Michael Mantha MPP	MPP	Algoma—Manitoulin	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Monique Taylor MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sandy Shaw MPP	MPP	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sol Mamakwa MPP	MPP	Kiiwetinoong	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephanie Bowman MPP	MPP	Don Valley West	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Ted Hsu MPP	MPP	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario Liberal Party	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Teresa J. Armstrong MPP	MPP	London—Fanshawe	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Tom Rakocevic MPP	MPP	Humber River—Black Creek	New Democratic Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced