Bill 107, Listening to Ontarians Act (Hydro One and Other Electricity Assets), 2015

Bill 107 2015

An Act to require a referendum before the disposition of the Crown's electricity assets

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

   1.  The Electricity Act, 1998 is amended by adding the following section:

Restriction on disposition without referendum

   1.1  (1)  On or after May 28, 2015, the Crown shall not take any steps to facilitate the disposition, in whole or in part, of the Crown's interest in corporations that transmit, distribute, generate or retail electricity, including Hydro One Inc., or to make the proceeds of any such disposition available to be appropriated for any Government of Ontario purpose, unless,

  (a)  a referendum concerning the disposition is held under this Act before the Crown authorizes the disposition or takes any steps to facilitate the disposition; and

  (b)  the referendum authorizes the disposition.

Procedure for referendum

   (2)  Sections 6 to 19 of the Taxpayer Protection Act, 1999 apply, with necessary modifications, with respect to a referendum mentioned in subsection (1).

Commencement

   2.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   3.  The short title of this Act is the Listening to Ontarians Act (Hydro One and Other Electricity Assets), 2015.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Electricity Act, 1998 to require a referendum before the Crown sells the Crown's interest in corporations that transmit, distribute, generate or retail electricity, including Hydro One Inc. The rules in the Taxpayer Protection Act, 1999 respecting a referendum under that Act apply to a referendum under the Electricity Act, 1998.