November 22, 2021

The Hon. Todd Smith, MPP
Minister of Energy
77 Grenville Street
6th Floor Toronto ON M7A 2C1

Dear Minister Smith:

The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) is Ontario’s only professional association dedicated to supporting, educating, and promoting condominium managers and management firms to improve the quality of the services they provide. Since 1977, ACMO has cultivated a professional community of more than 1,700 members dedicated to pursuing a higher standard of condominium management. Our members provide management services to condo corporations on behalf of condo unit owners across Ontario.

On behalf of our members, we are writing to extend our full support to the proposed regulatory changes that will enable more choice and encourage competition in electricity suite metering. At present, changing from LDC to USMP suite metering requires unanimous written consent of the individual LDC accountholders in the building which is practically impossible to achieve. Furthermore, it is inconsistent with the fact that condominium boards have the ability to unilaterally install suite metering, switch from USMP to LDC suite metering, or switch from one USMP to another USMP.

The proposed changes will enhance competition in the provision of suite metering and dramatically reduce costs. For example, the average 250-unit building would save approximately $30,000 per year. These are purely administration cost reductions and would not diminish the service level provided to condominiums.

Additionally, switching from an LDC to a USMP will allow the entire building to become eligible for the Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER). Currently, the common areas in LDC suite metered buildings are deemed ineligible for the OER – the common areas are receiving the OER under grandfathering provisions. Buildings completed after 2020 are not even eligible to receive the OER which is clearly inequitable.

ACMO fully supports the proposal to make it easier for a condominium board, landlord or building owner/administrator to change the suite meter provider for their multi-unit building from an LDC to a USMP or vice-versa. We urge the province to move as quickly as possible on this issue to encourage healthy competition and help condominium owners save money on their electricity bills.

We would like to thank the Minister for giving ACMO the opportunity to provide feedback on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Paul MacDonald
Executive Director of ACMO

Katherine Gow
President of ACMO