The conference organizers appreciated the nearly 100 thought-leaders that participated in the Governance and Regulation in the Electricity Sector: Balancing Independence with Accountability event. The conference was presented in partnership with the Council for Clean & Reliable Energy, the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, and the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy, University of Waterloo.
The intent of the conference was to look for opportunities to improve governance of crown corporations and regulatory agencies related to the electricity industry. As governments across Canada become increasingly involved in energy matters, broader demands are being placed on public agencies of all types, including regulators and utilities who are in the front line of implementing government policy yet who often have governance structures defined more narrowly to meet yesterday’s needs.
The presentations and public debate that occurred during the conference provided critical insight into the initiatives and next steps planned by the organizers. A Draft Policy Paper, a factual Summary Report on the proceedings prepared by University of Western Professor Adam Fremeth, and a Final Report prepared by Professor Guy Holburn, Director, Energy at Ivey, University of Western Ontario.