Starting a conversation: Is there flexibility to adapt Canada’s current utility regulation landscape?

The Canadian electricity sector is undergoing a significant transformation, the effects of which are expected to continue to evolve into the foreseeable future. Five megatrends driving this change can be seen across the country: climate policy is subsuming energy policies, customer expectations are changing, well-defined industry lines are blurring, megaprojects are becoming more challenging, and the Energy Cloud is emerging. It is inevitable that these megatrends will force a reconsideration of the legislative and regulatory frameworks that govern the electricity sector. The primary objective of this paper is to analyze opportunities within the existing legislation and regulatory frameworks to adapt to the current and future changes, and in doing so, start a dialogue about the nature of Canada’s utility regulation landscape and the future of regulatory reform.