Bill 29, Think Twice Before You Choose Natural Gas Act (Ontario Energy Board Amendment), 2022

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 with respect to municipal by-laws regarding residential natural gas connections.

Section 42 of the Act is amended to provide that the duty of gas distributors to provide gas distribution services along the line of their distribution pipe lines does not restrict municipalities from imposing conditions on any new residential connection in accordance with a municipal by-law establishing limits on greenhouse gas emissions attributable to residential consumers in the municipality.

Bill 29 2022

An Act to amend the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 with respect to
municipal conditions on residential natural gas connections

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

1 Section 3 of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 is amended by adding the following definition:

“greenhouse gas” has the same meaning as in the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993; (“gaz à effet de serre”)

2 Section 42 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Interaction with municipal by-law restricting greenhouse gas emissions

(2.1)  Subsection (2) does not restrict a municipality from imposing conditions on any new residential connection in accordance with a municipal by-law establishing limits on greenhouse gas emissions attributable to residential consumers in the municipality.

Commencement

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

Short title

4 The short title of this Act is the Think Twice Before You Choose Natural Gas Act (Ontario Energy Board Amendment), 2022.