Giving Effect to the OEB's Report on the Effectiveness of the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010 (ECPA)

Case number

EB-2015-0268

Lancement

5 octobre 2015

Secteur

Electricity

Natural Gas

Status

Archived

Détails

On June 1, 2015, the OEB issued its report “Consumers Come First: A Report of the Ontario Energy Board on the Effectiveness of the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010” (ECPA Report). The ECPA Report was prepared at the request of the Minister of Energy, and set out the OEB’s assessment of how well the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010 (ECPA) had worked since 2011 to protect the interests of residential and small business consumers in their dealings with electricity retailers and natural gas marketers. The OEB recommended 14 new measures that would provide a stronger framework for consumer protection. Read more about the ECPA Report.

On December 3, 2015, Bill 112, the Strengthening Consumer Protection and Electricity System Oversight Act, 2015, received Royal Assent. The Bill made important changes to the rules governing the activities of electricity retailers and natural gas marketers.

The OEB commenced a consultation regarding proposed amendments to the OEB’s codes, rules and other regulatory instruments applicable to electricity retailers and natural gas marketers. Some of the proposed amendments addressed the findings and implemented the recommendations contained in the ECPA Report. Others were required to support the implementation of Bill 112.

On March 31, 2017, the OEB issued final OEB-approved versions of disclosure statements, price comparisons and a consumer tip sheet that electricity retailers and gas marketers are required to use. The OEB also gave notice of adoption of amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers relating to the availability of translations of certain consumer facing materials and standard contract terms and conditions.

On May 18, 2017, the OEB issued final amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers. The amendments enable online verification of energy contracts with low volume consumers as an alternative to verification by telephone.

View all documents for this consultation

The most recent versions of Price Comparison and Disclosure Statement templates can be found on this page: Forms and templates: energy contracts, certificates of compliance, self-certification

Related policy initiatives:

Updates

Mises à jour

Date	Issue / Document
6 juillet 2017	The OEB has issued a French version of the written notice of switch letter that electricity distributors and gas distributors are required to send to retailer-enrolled customers as of July 1. The English version is unchanged and provided for convenience. Notice of Switch Letters English French
8 juin 2017	The OEB has prepared additional versions of the online verification forms. Letter Contracts entered into over the internet Contracts entered into in person Contracts entered into by mail
24 mai 2017	Further to requests received from some energy retailers, the OEB has made Word versions of the updated electricity and dual fuel standard contract terms and conditions available for convenience. Standard Contract Terms and Conditions
18 mai 2017	The OEB has issued final amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers. The amendments enable online verification of energy contracts with low volume consumers as an alternative to verification by telephone. Notice (including Attachments A to E)
16 mai 2017	The OEB has issued updated versions of the electricity and dual fuel standard contract terms and conditions. Letter Standard Contract Terms and Conditions
31 mars 2017	The OEB has issued final OEB-approved versions of disclosure statements, price comparisons and a consumer tip sheet that electricity retailers and gas marketers are required to use. The OEB has also given notice of adoption of amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers relating to the availability of translations of certain consumer facing materials and standard contract terms and conditions. Electricity retailers and gas marketers are required to use the Consumer Facing Materials as approved by the OEB on the following dates: May 1, 2017 for the new Tip Sheet; May 1, 2017 for the electricity versions of the revised Disclosure Statements and Price Comparison templates and for the dual fuel versions of the revised Disclosure Statements; and July 1, 2017 for the natural gas versions of the revised Disclosure Statements and Price Comparison templates. Cover letter (including Attachment D) Attachment A - Disclosure Statements Attachment B - Price Comparison Templates Attachment C - Tip Sheet
3 mars 2017	The OEB has posted responses received from the Ontario EBT Standards Working Group for Retail Settlement and the GDAR EBT Standards Working Group. Ontario EBT Standards Working Group for Retail Settlement GDAR EBT Standards Working Group
23 février 2017	The following written comments were received on the OEB’s proposed amendments to enable online verification of energy contracts. Canadian RiteRate Energy Corporation Just Energy Ontario L.P. Planet Energy (Ontario) Corp.
2 février 2017	The OEB issued a letter to the Ontario EBT Standards Working Group for Retail Settlement and the GDAR EBT Standards Working Group to request that the EBT Standards Working Groups identify any issues related to the current EBT processes arising from the final amendments to the OEB’s regulatory instruments. Letter
31 janvier 2017	The OEB has issued, for comment, proposed amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers. The purpose of the proposed amendments is to enable online verification of energy contracts with low volume consumers as an alternative to verification by telephone. Notice of Proposal
16 janvier 2017	OEB staff will host a meeting with energy retailers to further discuss issues associated with online verification. Letter
3 janvier 2017	The OEB has posted updated Disclosure Statements, effective January 1, 2017. Energy Contracts - Disclosure Statements
29 décembre 2016	Further to requests received from some energy retailers, the OEB is making Word versions of the standard contract terms and conditions available. These versions are being provided for convenience only. The official versions as posted earlier this month are available below on this webpage. Contract Terms and Conditions
15 décembre 2016	The OEB has issued additional and updated versions of the verification and renewal scripts and provided an update regarding consumer-facing materials. Letter Attachment A - Renewal / Extension Scripts Attachment B - Verification Scripts: Contracts entered into over the internet Contracts entered into in person Contracts entered into by mail
12 décembre 2016	The OEB has issued additional and updated versions of the standard contract terms and conditions. Letter Attachment A – Single Fuel Standard Contract Terms and Conditions Attachment B – Updated Dual Fuel Standard Contract Terms and Conditions for Non-Residential Consumers
7 décembre 2016	The following written comments were received on the OEB’s proposed revised consumer-facing materials that were issued for comment on November 29, 2016: Canadian RiteRate Energy Corporation Just Energy Ontario L.P. Onit Energy Ltd. Summitt Energy Management Inc.
5 décembre 2016	The OEB has issued a proposed dual fuel Disclosure Statement for contract renewals or extensions. Cover letter Attachment A – Proposed Dual Fuel Disclosure Statement for Contract Renewals or Extensions
1 décembre 2016	The OEB has issued final amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct, the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers, the Retail Settlement Code, and the Gas Distribution Access Rule, together with approved standard contract terms and conditions, notice of switch letters, verification call scripts, and renewal/extension call scripts. Notice (including Attachments C, D and F) Attachment A – Amendments to the Retailer Code Attachment B – Amendments to the Marketer Code Attachment E – Approved standard contract terms and conditions Attachment G – Approved verification call scripts Attachment H – Approved renewal call scripts Attachment I – Comparison versions of the standard contract terms and conditions (for convenience of reference only) Attachment J – Comparison versions of the notice of switch letters (for convenience of reference only) Attachment K – Comparison versions of the verification and renewal call scripts (for convenience of reference only)
29 novembre 2016	The OEB is inviting comments on proposed revised disclosure statements, price comparisons and a consumer tip sheet that electricity retailers and gas marketers are required to use. Cover letter Attachment A – Revised Proposed Tip Sheet Attachment B – Revised Proposed Dual Fuel Disclosure Statement Attachment C – Revised Proposed Natural Gas Price Comparison Template for Non-Residential Consumers Attachment D – Revised Proposed Natural Gas Price Comparison Template for Residential Consumers Attachment E – Revised Proposed Electricity Price Comparison Template for Residential Consumers Attachment F – Revised Proposed Electricity Price Comparison Template for Non-Residential Consumers
11 novembre 2016	Proposals filed by energy retailers for an online verification process. Canadian RiteRate Energy Corporation Just Energy Ontario L.P. (filed Oct 5, 2016) Ontario Wholesale Energy Gas & Electric Planet Energy (Ontario) Corp. (filed Oct 5, 2016) XOOM Energy (filed Dec 2, 2016)
4 novembre 2016	OEB staff will host a meeting with energy retailers to discuss issues associated with online verification. Letter
31 octobre 2016	The following written comments were received on the OEB’s proposed standard contract terms and conditions for renewals and proposed scripts for telephone renewals. Just Energy Ontario L.P. Kitchener Utilities
14 octobre 2016	The OEB has issued, for comment, proposed standard contract terms and conditions for renewals and proposed scripts for telephone renewals. Notice Attachment A: Dual fuel contract terms and conditions for a renewed or extended contract (residential consumers) Attachment B: Dual fuel contract terms and conditions for a renewed or extended contract (non-residential consumers) Attachment C: Dual fuel renewal or extension script (residential consumers) Attachment D: Dual fuel renewal or extension script (non-residential consumers)
7 octobre 2016	The following written comments were received on the OEB’s revised proposed code amendments. Active Energy Canadian RiteRate Energy Corporation Coalition of Large Distributors Electricity Distributors Association Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Hydro One Networks Inc. Just Energy Ontario L.P. Ontario Wholesale Energy Gas & Electric Planet Energy (Ontario) Corp. Shell Energy North America (Canada) Inc. Union Gas Limited
8 septembre 2016	The OEB has issued, for comment, revised proposed amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct, the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers, the Retail Settlement Code and the Gas Distribution Access Rule. Revised Notice of Proposal (including Attachments D, E and F) Attachment A – Proposed Standard Contract Terms and Conditions Residential Non-Residential Attachment B – Revised Proposed Amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct Attachment C – Revised Proposed Amendments to the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers Attachment G – Revised Proposed Verification Scripts Residential Internet Non-Residential Internet
18 novembre 2015	The following written comments were received on the OEB’s proposed consumer-facing materials that were issued for comment on October 30, 2015 Active Energy Canadian RiteRate Energy Corporation Just Energy Ontario L.P. Onit Energy Ltd. Planet Energy (Ontario) Corp. Summitt Energy Management Inc.
30 octobre 2015	The OEB has posted responses received from the Ontario EBT Standards Working Group for Retail Settlement and the GDAR EBT Standards Working Group. Ontario EBT Standards Working Group for Retail Settlement GDAR EBT Standards Working Group
30 octobre 2015	The OEB is inviting comments on proposed revisions to the disclosure statement, price comparison and contract verification scripts that electricity retailers and gas marketers are required to use, as well as two newly proposed documents: a cover sheet for electricity and gas contracts, and a consumer “tip sheet”. Cover letter Attachment A – Proposed Revised Disclosure Statement Attachment B – Proposed Revised Price Comparisons (Electricity) Attachment B – Proposed Revised Price Comparisons (Natural Gas) Attachment C – Proposed Revised Verification Call Scripts (Residential) Attachment C – Proposed Revised Verification Call Scripts (Non-residential) Attachment D – Proposed Contract Cover Sheet Attachment E – Proposed Consumer “Tip Sheet”
23 octobre 2015	The following written comments were received on the OEB’s proposed code amendments. Active Energy Ag Energy Co-operative Ltd. Canadian Energy Protection Corp. Canadian RiteRate Energy Corporation Coalition of Large Distributors Electricity Distributors Association Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Greater Sudbury Hydro Inc. Hydro One Networks Inc. Just Energy Ontario L.P. Kitchener Utilities Ontario Wholesale Energy Gas & Electric Planet Energy (Ontario) Corp. Summitt Energy Management Inc. Union Gas Limited Vulnerable Energy Consumers Coalition Whitby Hydro Electric Corporation
8 octobre 2015	The OEB has issued a letter to the Ontario EBT Standards Working Group for Retail Settlement and the GDAR EBT Standards Working Group to request that the EBT Standards Working Groups identify any issues related to the current EBT processes arising from the proposed revisions to the OEB’s regulatory instruments. Letter
5 octobre 2015	The OEB has issued for comment proposed amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct, the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers, the Retail Settlement Code and the Gas Distribution Access Rule. Notice of Proposal (including Attachments C & D) Attachment A – Proposed Amendments to the Electricity Retailer Code of Conduct Attachment B – Proposed Amendments to the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers