Regulatory information
The Panhandle Regional Expansion Project is regulated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), an independent government agency that regulates the electricity and natural gas sectors. After a public review and hearing, the OEB will determine whether to approve the project. In this section, you can review all regulatory files about the project once they are available .
Environmental assessment
In accordance with the OEB's Environmental Guidelines for the Location, Construction and Operation of Hydrocarbon Pipeline and Facilities in Ontario, 7th Edition 2016, Enbridge Gas retained the services of AECOM Consulting, an independent environmental consultant, to complete an environmental assessment for the proposed project.
The purpose of the environmental assessment is to:
- identify any potential impacts of the proposed project on the social, economic and natural environments
- identify local or provincial concerns regarding the proposed project
- determine preferred routing of the pipeline segments
- gather input from agencies, stakeholders, Indigenous communities, affected landowners, and the public.
It also recommends mitigation measures to limit impacts on the social, economic and natural environments. It is important to minimize potential negative impacts of the proposed natural gas distribution pipelines and associated facilities on the environment. The data, analysis and results of the environmental assessment are detailed in the environmental report.
Please click the links below to view the environmental report and its related appendices.
Leave to construct application
On June 10, 2022 Enbridge Gas filed a leave to construct application with the OEB.
Enbridge Gas has recently identified potentially material increases to components of the estimated project cost through a competitive procurement process undertaken in parallel with the project application. As such, Enbridge Gas had asked the Ontario Energy Board for a temporary pause in the regulatory review of this project while we reviewed project costs and explored ways to contain, avoid and/or mitigate increases. The OEB granted that pause in December 2022.
Since that time, Enbridge Gas has continued to review potential material increases to components of the estimated project cost, through a competitive procurement process.
In addition, we now have the benefit of better understanding of actual attachments to the Panhandle system in 2022. As a result, we are re-assessing the staging of the project and can confirm that the start of construction will be delayed from 2023 to 2024. We expect that all incremental demand on the Panhandle system for winter 2023/2024 will be accommodated. We are also continuing to advance the project and filed an updated Leave to Construct application with the OEB on June 16, 2023.
Read the updated application.
Read the notice of hearing.
Application for early access to land
Enbridge Gas has applied to the OEB pursuant to section 98(2) of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, for an order authorizing entry onto certain properties to conduct environmental and engineering examinations and surveys that are necessary for fixing the site of the hydrocarbon line that it has proposed to construct in its EB-2022-0157 application, which is currently before the OEB. The properties are located in the Town of Tilbury, in the Municipality of Lakeshore.
On Aug. 25, 2023, Enbridge Gas submitted a letter to the OEB requesting the application be placed in abeyance as Enbridge Gas no longer requires access by Oct. 1, 2023. On Aug. 29, 2023, the OEB placed the application in abeyance.
At that time, Enbridge Gas was directed to file a status update no later than Dec. 31, 2023. Enbridge Gas filed an update Dec. 8, 2023. The update reflects the date Enbridge Gas requires early access to the subject properties (updated from Oct. 1, 2023 to April 1, 2024) in order to maintain its construction schedule. View the update here.
