Review Panel Roster

Who is involved in the reviews and appeals process?

The ESA has a number of Statutory Directors who have power under the legislation to make certain decisions. The ESA also has an independent Review Panel to hear appeals of those decisions.  

Statutory Directors — First Level Decisions
Statutory Directors — Reviews and Appeals
Review Panel
Contact the Appeals Office

Statutory Directors — First Level Decisions

The ESA appoints Directors under the Electricity Act (section 113.1) and the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996 (section 9(1)). Certain Directors make decisions or take action to enforce the legislation. These Directors are responsible for the ESA Orders about electrical safety. They are also responsible for ESA Notices or Provisional Notices of Proposal to refuse, suspend, revoke or impose conditions on an authorization to perform electrical work or operate an electrical contracting business.

  • Director of Licensing
    This Director issues Notices of Proposal, Provisional Suspension of Licence or Provisional Refusal to Renew Licence. This authority comes from the Electricity Act, 1998, section 113, and Ontario Regulation 570/05 (Licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians).
  • Director, Codes and Standards
    ESA appoints the Provincial Code Engineer as a Statutory Director. This Director may issue Orders related to meeting the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
  • Director of Powerline Safety
    This Director may issue Orders related to meeting the Ontario Electrical Distribution Safety Regulation (O. Reg. 22/04)
  • Director, Product Safety
    This Director may issue Orders related to meeting the Ontario Product Safety Regulation (O. Reg. 438/07).

Statutory Directors — Reviews and Appeals

  • Director of Reviews and Appeals
    ESA appoints this Director to conduct Director’s Reviews of disputed ESA Orders or Director’s Hearings for disputed ESA Notices. This Director uses a written process to hear from both the Applicant and ESA staff who made the Order or Notice in dispute. The Director of Reviews and Appeals then makes a fair and independent decision. This decision can be appealed to the ESA Review Panel.
  • Director of Review Panel Appointments
    ESA appoints this Director to be responsible for the Review Panel Roster and the ESA Reviews and Appeals Office. This Director acts independently from the other Directors to ensure an unbiased appeal process.

Review Panel

The Review Panel has members who act independently from the ESA when judging an appeal. The Review Panel hears and decides the appeal in a manner that is fair, accessible and efficient.

Members of the Review Panel Roster are respected professionals from various sectors. They are individuals with experience in hearing and deciding cases, and expertise in relevant ESA-regulated industries. These include product safety, licensing and certification, utilities, standards, and the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.

ESA Review Panel Roster (Effective April 1, 2019)

The Electrical Safety Authority has appointed these members to the ESA Review Panel Roster:

Industry Members

Andrew Bloomfield, P. Eng., M.E., MBA

Electrical Utilities/Distribution

George Matai, P. Eng., M.E.

Electrical Utilities/Distribution

David Wilkinson, P. Eng., MBA

Electrical Utilities/Distribution

Darren Desrosiers, P. Eng.

Electrical Utilities/Distribution

Patrick Griffin, M.E.

Electrical Utilities/Distribution

Lee Lawrence, M.E.

Contractor Licensing, Occupational Health & Safety

Michael Mankulich, M.E.

Contractor Licensing, OESC

Jeff Dunn, M.E.

Contractor Licensing, OESC

Rainer Arocena, P. Eng., PMP., M.E.

Contractor Licensing

Ralph Van Haeren

Contractor Licensing, OESC, Utilities/Distribution

Public Presiding Members

Ellen Pekilis, LL.B.

Governance, Regulatory, Product Safety, Adjudication

Paul Sommerville, LL.B.

Regulatory, Administrative Law, Adjudication, Energy Sector

Reena Goyal, JD, LL.M.

Energy and Infrastructure Law, Regulatory, Dispute Resolution 

John O’Kane, LL.B.

Administrative Law, Adjudication, Agri-sector

Emad Elsayed, Ph.D., M. Eng., P. Eng.

Energy, Electricity and Natural Gas Sectors, Adjudication

The ESA appointed these Review Panel Roster members to take over from previous members, whose term expired on Sept. 29, 2019. An overlap between the exiting and entering Rosters provided a smooth transition and exchange of expertise. 

View biographies of the individual Review Panel Roster members

Learn more about the appeal process

Departing Members of the Review Panel Roster (terms expired September 29, 2019)

 Tim Pope

C.E.T., Code & Standards, CSA

Gary Rygus

Industry Representative Director, Retail Council of Canada

Robert G. (Bob) Lake

P. Eng., Electrical Utilities

Michel Bourassa  

Code & Standards Representative Director, Standards Council of Canada

Ted Whitworth

Consumer Representative

Shelly Cunningham

P. Eng., Electrical Utilities

Robert (Bob) Brownie    

Electrical Contractor

Klass Degroot

Regulatory Sector, Electrical Utilities

Mel Fruitman

Manufacturers Representative

William (Bill) Schwartz

C.E.T., Electrical Utilities

Reviews and Appeals Office

The Reviews and Appeals Office provides administrative support for the processes used to dispute ESA decisions. The ESA has a small number of cases, and relies on staff support from the Manager of Reviews and Appeals.

Contact the Manager of Reviews and Appeals at:

Shelley Valencia
shelley.valencia@electricalsafety.on.ca
Tel: 905-712-5673
Fax: 905-712-7865

For more information: