Politics in the energy sector: using embedded autonomy to explain the 2016 end of the feed-in tariff program in Ontario

During a period where climate change is an increasing Canadian and global problem, the government of Ontario stopped accepting new contracts for its feed-in tariff program in 2016 that promoted renewable energy source development. The concept of embedded autonomy explains how the three levels of stakeholders at the political, institutional and public levels interact to decide and implement energy policy. The results of the interaction between the three levels indicates that the political level in the province has the full ability to decide energy policy without including the other stakeholders. Germany provides an example of an energy sector that is more inclusive of non-political stakeholders, and the European state can provide lessons for further including the institutional and public stakeholders in Ontario to promote renewable energy source development.