Energy has been a hot topic of debate lately, and on November 23, the government of Ontario released its Long Term Energy Plan, which sets out a plan about where our electricity will come from over the next 20 years and how much conservation of electricity we can achieve during that time period.

The stakes are high. Given the long lifetime of our energy infrastructure, the choices Ontario makes now will have environmental and economic impacts that will be felt for many years to come.

What you may not know is that there is still an opportunity to have your views considered. The government has posted a draft Supply Mix Directive on the Environmental Registry for comment. This directive is the legal tool by which the government lays out the goals of the Long Term Energy Plan. More background on government directives and Ontario’s regulatory framework for electricity is available in my report Rethinking Energy Conservation in Ontario: Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report 2009 (Volume One) . The Supply Mix Directive is the first step in a process that eventually leads to the development of the energy projects needed to achieve the Plan’s goals.

You have until January 7, 2011 to provide your views on the Supply Mix directive through the Environmental Registry. Following this, the government will consider the comments received and make a final decision.