Top Ten Energy Industry Regulatory Decisions And Developments In 2019

This year witnessed some dramatic events in the energy regulatory world. Since our review of the major 2018 regulatory developments, significant progress has been made on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (the Project). Not only has the National Energy Board (NEB) and federal cabinet reapproved the project, but the Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed British Columbia's attempt to regulate interprovincial heavy oil transportation. These developments have paved the way for construction and clarified important principles underpinning federal-provincial regulatory jurisdiction.

There were also major developments in Alberta's electricity market, with the new government's commitment to return to an energy only electricity market and the Alberta Court of Appeal denial of several appeals from the Alberta Utilities Commission (UAC) relating to electricity line loss. The AUC also confirmed the post Stores Block and utility asset disposition (UAD) principles related to