Municipalities are key partners in helping Ontario become a clean energy leader. The municipal role in renewable energy development can include participating as a developer, encouraging projects for economic development purposes, establishing renewable energy policies and targets, providing comments and input on project design via the consultation process, authorizing the use of municipal property, entering into agreements with developers and enacting by-laws affecting projects, or any combination of these roles.
This guide is intended to help municipalities understand the renewable energy development process, with particular attention paid to the rights, responsibilities and opportunities for municipalities to be meaningful participants in development.