Bill 144, Plug into the Sun Act, 2026

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill enacts the Plug into the Sun Act, 2026. The Act requires the Minister of Energy and Mines to establish a Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee within 60 days of the Act coming into force. The Advisory Committee shall identify any modifications to plug-in solar panels that should be required to ensure their safe use, determine a process and procedures for assessing the ongoing experience of using plug-in solar panels in other jurisdictions, determine steps that the Government of Ontario can take to facilitate the evaluation and assessment of plug-in solar panels by relevant product safety agencies and determine a process for the safe introduction of plug-in solar panels in Ontario. The Advisory Committee shall report its recommendations to the Minister, who shall then ensure the report is published and inform the Legislative Assembly of the Advisory Committee’s recommendations that the Minister recommends implementing.

Bill 144 2026

An Act to establish a Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee

Preamble

Solar power is currently the cheapest source of power in the world. The use of plug-in solar panels to directly feed power into a household electrical system with a minimum of administrative and technical requirements makes this cost-cutting technology accessible to the public. These plug-in solar panels are legal in Germany and elsewhere in the European Union and are in the process of being legalized in the United Kingdom and multiple American states. Plug-in solar panels help people reduce their electrical bills, provide them with some back-up power when paired with a suitable battery in the case of a grid failure and can help reduce peak demand at midday on the electrical system as a whole. Establishing a Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee represents the first important step in the process of legalizing this valuable technology in Ontario.

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

Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee

1 (1)  The Minister of Energy and Mines shall, no more than 60 days after the day this section comes into force, establish a Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee.

Composition

(2)  The Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee shall be composed of members appointed by the Minister.

Same

(3)  The Minister shall ensure that the Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee includes members of the following groups:

   1.  The Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

   2.  The Electrical Safety Authority.

   3.  The Electricity Distributors Association.

   4.  The Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations.

   5.  The Ontario Federation of Labour.

   6.  Housing providers.

   7.  Public interest advocacy groups that intervene at Ontario Energy Board hearings.

   8.  Non-governmental organizations focused on protecting the environment.

   9.  Firefighter management and unions.

Remuneration and expenses

(4)  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may determine the remuneration and expenses of any person appointed under subsection (2).

Appropriation required

(5)  Subsection (4) does not apply unless money has been appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of that subsection.

Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee — functions

2 (1)  The Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee shall perform the following functions:

   1.  Identifying any modifications to plug-in solar panels that should be required to ensure their safe use.

   2.  Determining a process and procedures for assessing the ongoing experience of using plug-in solar panels in other jurisdictions, including Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

   3.  Determining steps that the Government of Ontario can take to facilitate the evaluation and assessment of plug-in solar panels by relevant product safety agencies, including the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada.

   4.  Determining a process for the safe introduction of plug-in solar panels in Ontario.

Report

(2)  On or before the day that is six months after the day the Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee is established, the Advisory Committee shall report recommendations to the Minister of Energy and Mines in writing based on the functions performed under subsection (1).

Implementation of recommendations

(3)  On or before the day that is 90 days after the day the Plug-in Solar Panels Advisory Committee reports its recommendations to the Minister under subsection (2), the Minister shall,

  (a)  ensure the Advisory Committee’s report is published on a Government of Ontario website; and

  (b)  inform the Legislative Assembly of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee that the Minister recommends the Government of Ontario implement.

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 Plug into the Sun Act, 2026.