Requesting Alignment of the Independent Electricity System Operator Integrated Regional Resource Plan with the City’s 2040 Target of Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions - by Councillor Dianne Saxe, seconded by Councillor Paula Fletcher

The City of Toronto and Toronto Hydro continue to actively engage with the Independent Electricity System Operator as part of the Integrated Regional Resource Plan development process. The City of Toronto's TransformTO Net Zero Strategy indicates that meeting our climate goals and reaping the benefits to health, equity, prosperity and resilience, is heavily dependent on the availability of affordable, reliable low-carbon electricity ( 2021.IE26.16 ). The City identified the need for all parties to work together to transition Ontario's electricity system away from natural gas to a resilient system focused on low-carbon energy sources, distributed local renewable energy generation, storage, and energy efficiency: Clean Electricity Regulations City Council, in May 2023, urged the Government of Canada to, "enact and enforce strong and robust Clean Electricity Regulations consistent with a net-zero electricity grid and that enable broad decarbonization of all other sectors" ( 2023.IE3.3 , Part 6a). The regulations will drive electricity producers to feed into a national zero emissions electricity grid by 2025. Comments were also provided to federal government at three stages of policy development over 2022-2024 by the Executive Director, Environment and Climate; Consultation on the Regulations closed in March 2024, with the final regulations expected to be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, later this year. Portlands Energy Centre City Council, in April 2024, requested the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks to elevate Atura Power's proposal to expand the capacity of the Portlands Energy Centre by 50 megawatts to a comprehensive environmental assessment ( 2024.MM17.9 ). City Council, in May 2023, stated its decision to, "oppose any new power generation proposal involving increased burning of fossil fuels, including natural gas, in the City" ( 2023.MM6.13 , Part 1). Comments were provided to Atura Power on its Draft Screening report in January 2024 by the Executive Director, Environment and Climate. Integrated Regional Resource Plan City staff are contributing to the Independent Electricity System Operator-led Integrated Regional Resource Plan process to ensure that the City's climate goals are reflected via buildings and transportation electrification. Most recently, in May 2024, City staff provided written comments to the Independent Electricity System Operator on the Integrated Regional Resource Plan demand forecast methodology. The proposed Council recommendation to the Independent Electricity System Operator builds on the City's current and past advocacy and collaborative work to plan for a zero-carbon, resilient and affordable electricity system in Ontario that enables Toronto to meet its climate goals and enjoy the benefits of a net zero future.

rapidly increasing local renewable energy generation and storage, and maximizing cost-effective energy efficiency; c. empowering Toronto Hydro to act as Toronto's electric Distribution System Operator to support development, integration, and utilization of distributed energy resources; and d. supporting a transformed electricity system that supplies Toronto with sufficient reliable, affordable, low-carbon electricity to meet present and future needs, including population growth and the electrification of buildings and transport.