Notices of project and meetings
 15. (1) A person who proposes to engage in a renewable energy project shall distribute, (a) notice of the proposal to engage in the project; and (b) notices of the location and time of at least two public meetings to be held for the purpose of conducting consultations in respect of the project.  O. Reg. 359/09, s. 15 (1). (2) Clause (1) (b) does not apply in respect of a proposal to engage in a renewable energy project in respect of, (a) a Class 2 wind facility; (b) a Class 1 or 2 anaerobic digestion facility; (c) a Class 1 thermal treatment facility, if the generating unit of the facility is located at a farm operation; or (d) a Class 2 thermal treatment facility.  O. Reg. 359/09, s. 15 (2). (3) A notice mentioned in subsection (1) shall be in a form approved by the Director and shall be distributed in accordance with all of the rules set out in subsection (6), (a) at least 30 days before the first public meeting is held and at least 60 days before the final public meeting is held, if the notices mentioned in clauses (1) (a) and (b) are required to be distributed; or (b) at least 30 days before the application for the issue of a renewable energy approval is submitted to the Director, if only the notice mentioned in clause (1) (a) is required to be distributed.  O. Reg. 359/09, s. 15 (3); O. Reg. 521/10, s. 6 (1, 2). (4) The notices mentioned in clauses (1) (a) and (b) may be distributed together and in combination with any other notice in respect of the renewable energy project if, (a) this section is complied with in combining the notices; and (b) the combined notices include a clear description of all of the notices that are being combined.  O. Reg. 359/09, s. 15 (4). (5) If the notices mentioned in clauses (1) (a) and (b) are both required to be distributed but are not distributed together, the notice mentioned in clause (1) (a) shall be distributed before any notice mentioned in clause (1) (b) is distributed.  O. Reg. 359/09, s. 15 (5). (6) A notice mentioned in clause (1) (a) or (b) shall be distributed in accordance with the following rules: 1. The notice must be published on at least two separate days in a newspaper with general circulation in each local municipality in which the project location is situated. 2. If the project location is in unorganized territory, i. the notice must be published on two separate days in a newspaper with general circulation within 25 kilometres of the project location, or ii. if no newspaper mentioned in subparagraph i exists, the notice must be posted in at least six conspicuous locations within 25 kilometres of the project location. 3. If it is reasonable to do so, the notice must be published in a newspaper printed by each aboriginal community on the list obtained under section 14, if the list was required to be obtained, and if such a newspaper exists and the publisher of the newspaper permits the publication. 4. If the person mentioned in subsection (1) has a website, the notice must be posted on the website. 5. A copy of the notice must be given to, i. every assessed owner of land within 120 metres of the project location, if the project is in respect of a renewable energy generation facility other than a Class 3, 4 or 5 wind facility, i.1 every assessed owner of land within 550 metres of the project location, if the project is in respect of a Class 3, 4 or 5 wind facility, i.2 every assessed owner of land abutting a parcel of land on which the project location is situated, other than an owner described in subparagraph i or i.1, ii. every aboriginal community on the list obtained under section 14, if the list was required to be obtained, and any other aboriginal community that, in the opinion of the person mentioned in subsection (1), has or may have constitutionally protected aboriginal or treaty rights that could be adversely impacted by the renewable energy project or otherwise may be interested in any negative environmental effects of the project, iii. the clerk of each local municipality and upper-tier municipality in which the project location is situated, iv. the secretary-treasurer of each local roads board of a local roads area in which the project location is situated, v. the secretary of each Local Services Board of a board area in which the project location is situated, vi. the secretary-treasurer of a planning board that has jurisdiction in an area in which the project location is situated, vii. the chair of the Niagara Escarpment Commission, if the project location is in the area of the Niagara Escarpment Plan, viii. the Director, ix. the Ministry’s district manager in each district in which the project location is situated. x. the secretary of every company operating an oil or natural gas pipeline, if a pipeline right of way for the pipeline is located within 200 metres of the project location, and xi. the NAV Canada Land Use Office and Transport Canada’s Regional Office for Ontario, if the project is in respect of a wind facility.  O. Reg. 359/09, s. 15 (6); O. Reg. 521/10, s. 6 (3); O. Reg. 195/12, s. 8.