Revised Ontario Energy Board recruits three new members

Jan Carr tagged as vice-chair
Board's role seen to be changing

Toronto Toronto - February 14, 2004
by John Spears — Business Reporter

The Ontario Energy Board is adding three new members, including a well-known industry consultant nominated as the board's vice-chair. Jan Carr, the proposed vice-chair, said in an interview that the board is likely to play a more activist role as Ontario reshapes its electricity system and energy markets in the next few years.

Carr is currently managing director of consulting firm Barker, Dunn & Rossi, a post he will resign in order to move to the energy board if his appointment is confirmed by the Ontario Legislature committee on government agencies.

He was a member of the committee, headed by Donald Macdonald, that submitted a report in 1996 urging the province to open its electricity market to competition.

Many firms that appear before the board are clients of Barker, Dunn & Rossi. Carr said there will be a period during which he'll be barred from making decisions involving former clients.

Other nominees to the board, expected to be confirmed within a month, are Cynthia Chaplin and Pam Nowina.

Chaplin has nearly 20 years experience in the natural gas electricity sectors in Canada and Europe, including policy analysis work at the energy board.

Nowina is an information technology executive and currently a partner in IBM Business Consulting Services.

The energy board is preparing for a busy period. The new provincial government is rewriting the rules of Ontario's electricity system and considering broader regulations than under the former Conservative government.

Energy Minister Dwight Duncan has already asked the board to devise a new way to set electricity prices for householders and small-business owners who choose not to sign fixed price contracts with retailers.

The price paid by small users is currently set by the government. Duncan wants a new system in place by 2005 that won't require the government to set prices.

Carr said the role of the board, headed by recently appointed chairman Howard Wetston, is changing.

Traditionally, its role was to adjudicate applications brought before it by others. Now the board will be "a little more pro-active — raising issues and initiating hearings," Carr said.

Visit the Toronto Star newspaper today .
apartment security Toronto tenants