Region Overview

Northwestern Ontario (the Northwest) consists of the districts of Kenora, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay, which is roughly the area north of Lake Superior stretching from the Wawa area in the east and the Manitoba border in the west. The region accounts for approximately 60 per cent of the land area in the province and approximately two per cent of Ontario’s total population. Roughly half of the population in the Northwest resides in the city of Thunder Bay and the remaining population resides in smaller communities across the region.

This region is divided into Greenstone-Marathon, North of Dryden, West of Thunder Bay and Thunder Bay sub-regions.

Region's Local Distribution Companies
  • Atikokan Hydro Inc.
  • Fort Frances Power Corporation
  • Hydro One Networks Inc.
  • Synergy North
  • Sioux Lookout Hydro Inc.




Map: Northwest Ontario
 

Current Status

The second Regional Planning cycle for this region was initiated with publishing of Needs Assessment report in July 2020 by Hydro One and followed by releasing of Scoping Assessment in January 2021 and Integrated Regional Resource Plan in January 2023 by the IESO. It is expected that the Regional Infrastructure Plan, which is the final step of Regional Planning cycle will be completed by August 2023.

 
Accomplishment (Most Recent Shown First) Status Completion Date
​Integrated Regional Resource Planning (2nd Cycle)
 ​Completed
 ​​January 2023
Local Planning (Sam Lake DS) Completed January 2023
Scoping Assessment (2nd Cycle) Completed January 2021
Needs Assessment (2nd Cycle) Completed July 2020
Regional Infrastructure Planning Completed June 2017
Integrated Regional Resource Planning Thunder Bay sub-region Completed December 2016
Integrated Regional Resource Planning West of Thunder Bay sub-region Completed July 2016
Integrated Regional Resource Planning Greenstone-Marathon sub-region
 Completed June 2016
Integrated Regional Resource Planning North of Dryden sub-region Completed ​January 2015

*The completed reports are available below.

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Relevant Documents

Regional Infrastructure Planning (RIP)
Name Completion Date
Northwest RIP Report  June 2017
Integrated Regional Resource Planning (IRRP)
Name Completion Date
​Northwest Ontario IRRP – Report (2nd Cycle)​​ ​January 2023
Northwest Ontario IRRP – Appendices (2nd Cycle) ​January 2023
Thunder Bay Sub-Region IRRP – Report December 2016
Thunder Bay Sub-Region IRRP – Appendices December 2016
West of Thunder Bay Sub-Region - IRRP Appendices July 2016
West of Thunder Bay Sub-Region - IRRP Report July 2016
Greenstone - Marathon Sub-Region - IRRP Appendices June 2016
Greenstone - Marathon Sub-Region - IRRP Report June 2016
North of Dryden Sub-Region - IRRP Report January 2015

Needs Assessment (NA) & Scoping Assessment (SA)
Name Completion Date
Northwest Ontario SA – Report (2nd Cycle) January 2021
Northwest Ontario NA - Report (2nd Cycle) July 2020

Local Planning (LP)
Name Completion Date
Local Planning - Report (Sam Lake DS) January 2023

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Additional Documents
Name Completion Date
Letter to NW Region Participants  April 2014