John A.D. Vellone

Partner and National Leader, Energy, Resources & Renewables

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6730

John has a comprehensive energy law practice covering a breadth of corporate, commercial and regulatory issues with a particular focus on Canadian electricity markets and infrastructure revitalization.

He is a Partner and National Leader of Energy, Resources and Renewables Sector, encompassing the Power, Oil & Gas, Mining and Forestry sectors. His clients include Provincial and Territorial governments, system operators, regulated utilities, developers, investors, and lenders. He provides counsel concerning corporate, commercial and regulatory aspects of the electricity and natural gas industries and power project development for a variety of technologies, including:

  • battery storage
  • wind
  • solar
  • hydro-electric
  • nuclear
  • biomass/biogas
  • tidal
  • natural gas
  • cogeneration (combined heat and power)
  • district energy

John represents clients in proceedings before provincial regulatory agencies, primarily the Ontario Energy Board.

John also advises management and boards on ESG matters including corporate governance best practices, sustainability mandates and net-zero initiatives.

Experience

  • Advising the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (and formerly the Ontario Power Authority), the Province of Alberta, the electricity utility serving the Territory of Nunavut (Qulliq Energy Corporation), and the procurement administrator appointed by the Province of Nova Scotia on energy, procurement and commercial law matters as applicable, including drafting and amending interconnection and/or cost recovery agreements, procurement documents, long-term power purchase agreements, and shorter-term incentive contracts and advising on ongoing contract management matters, in respect of Province and Territory-wide initiatives including:
    • the Large Renewable Procurement, the Industrial Electricity Incentive Program, the Hydroelectric Standard Offer Program and the Hydroelectric Contract Initiative in Ontario
    • the Alberta Solar Energy Procurement (up-to 135,000 MWh annually)
    • the Nova Scotia Tidal Energy Procurement
    • Qulliq Energy Corporation’s Independent Power Producer Program and Commercial and Institutional Power Producer Program

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Officer (Newsletter Editor), Power Law Committee, International Bar Association, 2023-current
  • Chair, Natural Resources and Energy Law Section, Ontario Bar Association, 2022-2023
  • Executive (Member-at-Large), National Energy, Environment and Resource Law Section (NEERLS), Canadian Bar Association, 2023-current
  • Executive, Natural Resources and Energy Law Section, Ontario Bar Association
  • Member, Law Society of Upper Canada

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, Association of Power Producers of Ontario

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2019) of The Best Lawyers in Canada (Energy Regulatory Law; Energy Law).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of Lexpert Special Edition: Energy and Mining.
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of Chambers Global – The World's Leading Lawyers for Business (Energy: Power (Regulatory)).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2019) of Chambers Canada - Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Energy - Provincial Regulatory (Nationwide)).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2019) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Energy (Electricity); Energy (Oil & Gas))
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2022) of Lexpert Special Edition: Infrastructure
  • Recognized in the 2022 edition (and since 2020) of The Lexpert®/ROB Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers.
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2019) of Lexpert Special Edition - Canada's Leading Energy Lawyers
  • Recognized as a 2017 Lexpert® Rising Star.

Bar Admission & Education

  • Ontario, 2008
  • LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2007
  • MBA, Schulich School of Business, 2007
  • BA.Sc. (Electrical Engineering), University of Waterloo, 2003