Community Engagement
Municipalities in Ontario have a key role in shaping the province’s energy future. In response to direction from the Ministry of Energy, Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) is currently designing a series of procurements of non-emitting electricity resources, including waterpower. A key requirement for the success of any new project is the support of local municipalities.
For the first time in more than a decade, Ontario faces an emergent and enduring increase in electricity demand, driven both by economic growth and by the decarbonization of the broader economy. Waterpower can help fill this gap. Recent estimates indicate that 4000-5000 MW of new waterpower could be developed in the province.
Resources
This Guide is for communities to learn more about how waterpower works and how waterpower projects get built in Ontario.
This Toolkit is a resource for proponents of waterpower projects. The Toolkit outlines the collaborative approaches and strategies for proponents to engage with local municipalities.
This brochure shares the environmental, social and economic benefits of investing in Made-in-Ontario waterpower and how waterpower can help meet the province's growing energy demand.
Existing and Potential Waterpower in Ontario
The OWA’s Waterpower Reference Center is a GIS-based resource that shows all the existing waterpower facilities in Ontario and identifies the location of potential waterpower sites.
Municipal Support For Waterpower
The Waterpower Champions initiative was launched in 2019 as a way for municipalities to demonstrate their support for waterpower within their communities. In addition to municipalities, three associations (Rural Ontario Municipal Association, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, and the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association) have shared their support for waterpower and helped the OWA with advocacy efforts to re-contract existing facilities.
