On April 15, 2016 the Ontario Ministry of Environment of Climate Change (MOECC) posted changes to the Renewable Energy Approval (REA) amendment process that incorporate greater operational flexibility for project developers. The REA has been amended to exempt developers from having to obtain an amendment to an REA for specific changes to a project including:
• A reduction in the size of the project location, as long as there are no changes to the infrastructure or equipment that forms part, or is proposed to form part, of the renewable energy generating facility.
• A change in respect of a communication tower
• A change in the location of fencing
• A change in respect of a fiber optic communications line
CanSIA has advocated to the MOECC regarding these and other changes designed to incorporate greater amounts of operational flexibility for developers. In order to incorporate other of CanSIA's proposed changes, the MOECC expects to post revisions to the REA Technical Guide in the summer of 2016.
— From CanSIA Policy Research Update May 25, 2016