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Municipal Energy Conservation Officer (MECO)

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Since 2007, the Ontario Power Authority has been encouraging the province’s municipalities to appoint Municipal Energy Conservation Officers (MECOs), responsible for engaging communities at the local level in creating a culture of conservation.

The MECO is not a mandatory position but a voluntary appointment to be made from and within Ontario’s communities.

Having a strong local champion is pivotal in engaging communities and individuals in Ontario’s conservation efforts. Institutionalizing a defined role for energy conservation at the municipal level can play an integral role in achieving the province’s conservation goals.

Top Ten Advantages of Appointing a MECO

By having a MECO, municipalities will be better empowered to:

  1. To take advantage of program offerings from the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and other sources
  2. Provide input “from the field” that the OPA can use in developing and delivering its programs 
  3. Learn about the OPA’s Conservation Fund and how to seek support from it 
  4. Network with like-minded individuals across the province in the search for conservation solutions 
  5. Promote local conservation efforts and activities in the context of the provincial mandate 
  6. Identify local businesses / organizations deserving of provincial recognition 
  7. Understand and respond effectively to legislated requirements related to conservation 
  8. Educate local residents, businesses, associations, etc. about the benefits of conservation 
  9. Draw on OPA conservation expertise 
  10. Help the OPA identify barriers to conservation so they can be overcome

 
Registering MECO Appointments / Getting More Information

Communities that:

  • Have already appointed local energy conservation champions and are interested in registering them with the OPA to get access to this support… 
  • Are interested in the MECO concept and want more information from the OPA on it so that they can potentially appoint local champions within their communities…

should submit their contact details or information request to info@powerauthority.on.ca.  

This FAQ answers key questions about the Municipal Energy Conservation Officer (MECO) initiative.
 
Summary notes and reports from the ongoing discussions of the MECO working group.