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| Waterfalls - Magpie River Photo: Robert Metcalfe |
Ontario has placed a priority on expanding the use of clean and renewable sources of energy such as wind, water, solar and bio-energy. Renewable energy projects can provide environmental and economic benefits locally, provincially and globally, and reduce threats to biodiversity from the impacts of climate change.
The Government of Ontario has established a legislative and policy framework to support renewable energy development. For more information on this overall framework please visit the Ministry of Energy’s Renewable Energy Facilitation Office
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| Generation station on river – Umbatta Falls Photo: Kim Groenendyk/MNR |
MNR’s role in Renewable Energy:
Within this legislative and policy framework, the Ministry of Natural Resources plays an important role in the development of renewable energy projects through the management of Ontario’s Crown land and natural resources. The Ministry also administers a number of statutes, many of which apply to the application, review, and approval of renewable energy projects. MNR's role in renewable energy development is to:
- manage Ontario’s Crown lands
- participate as government agency in class environmental assessments (waterpower) and the Renewable Energy Approval process (windpower, solar power and bio-energy), and
- administer legislative approvals that may apply on Crown or private lands
Follow this link for MNR info sheet about MNR’s role in renewable energy (PDF 401 Kb)
Crown Land and FIT 2.1
On December 14, 2012 the Ontario Power Authority began accepting Applications under the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) 2.1 Program for Small Projects >10kW to ≤500kW. In order to align with the FIT 2.1 Application process, MNR is now transitioning its Interim Waterpower application opportunity for small-scale water power projects(≤1MW) to the FIT 2.1 Application process. Those interested in pursuing energy opportunities on provincial Crown land (>10kW to ≤500kW)should apply to the FIT 2.1 Program through this new and jointly aligned application process. Further information and materials about Crown land renewable energy opportunities and the FIT 2.1 Program can be found on the MNR’s Crown Land and FIT 2.1 page.
