Research and Reports
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RESEARCH AND REPORTS

Working closely with members, the EDA’s Policy, Government & Corporate Affairs (PCGA) team undertakes valuable research and expert policy development. We dive deep into issues that impact the distribution sector in Ontario today and develop bold ideas for a better tomorrow. We ask challenging questions and identify barriers to positive progress. Then we go further, identifying answers and practical solutions. That is why policy makers and stakeholders look to the EDA for expert advice and firsthand insights into the hearts and minds of distributors and electricity customers in Ontario.


Solving Grid-Lock COVER

Rapid Growth Requires Rapid Action

The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) is pleased to share our signature policy paper, Solving Grid-Lock: Our Vision for a Customer-Centric Energy Transition.

The paper outlines how local hydro utilities can play a crucial role in making Ontario grid-ready to achieve low-carbon economy objectives by addressing climate action policies, increasing electrification, driving for new and expanded infrastructure, and meeting evolving customer needs.

We invite all members to join us in the sustained effort to promote and educate our decision-makers, stakeholders, and industry partners on the policy and regulatory enablers that will advance the energy transition, such as:

  • Promoting a shared customer-centric vision for electrification, the role of utilities, and clarity around the function of the OEB.
  • Considering alternative funding approaches and policies to support the required grid modernization and other strategic investments customers need.
  • Investing in the diverse talent development required to sustain a productive electricity sector workforce that can serve customers across the province.

The EDA will use the paper as a foundation for our advocacy where we extol the benefits that grid-ready investments and technologies can bring to Ontario, including:

  • Improved Grid Reliability and Resilience
  • Avoided Energy and Capacity Costs for Customers
  • Enhanced Economic Competitiveness

The Association would like to thank all those members who volunteered their time at various all-member meetings, constituency meetings, and direct feedback opportunities that contributed to the development of the paper. Notably, we express our gratitude to the members of the EDA Board’s Ad Hoc Vision Paper Committee for their leadership role in the paper and the significant work of the paper’s authors at Power Advisory LLC, Toronto Metropolitan University Centre for Urban Energy, and Elenchus Research Associates.

For any other questions, please contact the EDA’s Ted Wigdor, Vice President, Policy, Government & Corporate Affairs.

Take a look at recent EDA policy papers and reports:

The Power to Connect: Advancing Customer-Driven Electricity Solutions for Ontario
An EDA vision paper proposing a new way forward for a customer-driven electricity system in Ontario.
VIEW
The Power to Connect: A Roadmap to a Brighter Ontario
The EDA’s newest policy paper, identifying current barriers to the evolution of LDCs and outlining solutions for Ontario’s energy future.
VIEW
EDA MRP Updates
A series of bi-weekly briefings on the IESO’s Market Renewal Program, exclusively for LDC members (login required).
VIEW
Connecting Devices: A Best Practice Guide for Standardized Distributed Energy Resource Connections Version 1.0
This paper from the EDA is a guide for conversations between utilities and customers as the industry continues to realize the potential of DERs.
VIEW
Connecting Devices: A Best Practice Guide for Standardized Distributed Energy Resource Connections Version 2.0
This new paper from the EDA is a guide for conversations between utilities and customers as the industry continues to realize the potential of DERs.
VIEW
Charging Ahead: Electricity Distributors Association Position Paper on Electrified Transportation
This paper outlines the role that LDCs can play in electrified transportation, one of the largest components of overall beneficial electrification expected to unfold in Ontario.
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Charging Ahead 2.0: The Local Distribution Company Role in Electric Vehicle Charging & Electrification Development
This new paper builds on the EDA’s first paper on electrification by highlighting the specific roles that LDCs can play in helping to build the much-needed charging infrastructure required for wide scale electric vehicle adoption in Ontario.
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Power to Connect Series: Supporting Changing Customer Needs 

This new position paper from the EDA builds upon our previous two Power to Connect papers and will explore distributed energy resource (DER) enablement, integration, and control and operation; and is intended to inform the IESO’s preparation of its DER Roadmap and DER Market Vision.

VIEW
The Power of Sustainability
This paper identifies opportunities for local hydro utilities relating to the pursuit and enablement of a net-zero future, while also speaking to current regulatory barriers to an effective distribution sector role and how those barriers may be addressed.
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The Power of Local Conservation – The Future of Conservation and Demand Management in Ontario
The EDA’s newest position paper and its recommendations aim to inform government and industry partners that LDCs provide a significant value-added solution to the electricity supply-demand gap forecast by the IESO.
VIEW

For more information on EDA research and reports:

Ted Wigdor
Vice President, Policy, Government and Corporate Affairs
(905) 265-5362
1 877 262-8593