Canada faces serious challenges and crucial decisions when it comes to governing a twenty first century energy system. They are seen in ongoing controversy over siting of wind farms, pipelines, new hydro, and transmission lines; tensions between movement on climate change and other energy objectives like oil sands development, competitiveness and consumer affordability, fracking implementation, and the reform of the National Energy Board, to name but a few. Most industrialized democracies face similar kinds of controversies but Canada’s unique energy profile arguably makes these difficulties more challenging. One of the linchpins of a modern energy system is the relationship between policy-makers and regulators when it comes to public decision-making. This paper broadly assesses the challenges that Canada faces in this area – within, and between, provincial/territorial and federal levels – and explores options for existing systems. It also addresses critical issues that affect and are affected by this relationship, including Indigenous and public involvement, and collaborative processes. It builds on the idea that restructuring our policy and regulatory systems requires informed reform, so that Canada can maintain aspects of the system that are effective, while improving areas that need it. The analysis builds on the results of a two-day workshop held in June 2017 at the University of Ottawa which featured a diverse range of senior participants from government, Indigenous organizations, industry, ENGOs, and academia.
