RÉGULATION ET PARTICIPATION PUBLIQUE. L'EXPÉRIENCE DE LA RÉGIE DE L'ÉNERGIE DU QUÉBEC (1997-2007).

SIMARD, LOUIS

For more than a decade, Quebec's electricity sector has seen major transformations in its methods of regulation and in its public action tools (Lascoumes and Le Galès, 2004). The creation of the Régie de l'énergie in 1996 has been central to these changes. This article aims to analyse the Régie de l'énergie's experience with public participation through the use of public hearings. The first part reconstitutes the evolution of the question of public participation in relation to the creation of the Régie de l'énergie with the passage of public policies, laws, and regulations. The second part offers an evaluation of the Regie`s procedure with the criteria suggested by Gallon, Lascoumes and Barthe (2001), and an exploratory analysis of the public hearings. In light of these first research findings, the case of the electricity sector in Quebec shows a certain change through time in the deliberative ideal expressed at the start, as well as a restricted implementation of public participation due to the construct of its public action tool.

QUEBEC (Province); CANADA; ENERGY policy; ELECTRIC utility laws; ELECTRICITY; PUBLIC meetings; GOVERNMENT policy

Globe: Revue Internationale d'Études Québécoises, 2010, Vol 13, Issue 2, p51

1481-5869

Academic Journal

10.7202/1001130ar