Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project

Attachment Municipality of Meaford Forwards Documents on Behalf of Resident

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Municipality of Meaford
• Reference Number: 344
• Submitted: 2026-05-27 - 5:41 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: N/A
• Please see the attached documentation for review as part of the review process. These documents have been provided to the Municipality of Meaford on behalf of a resident. 
• Attachment Included
• May 21, 2026 1 MEMO To: From: Date: File No.: Subject: Garry Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter Folkes Scott MacPhee, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter and Associates May 21, 2026 22-402 Georgian Bay (Ontario) Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Closed AI Query – Summary of 325 Public Comments (including 93 attachments) submitted to IAAC, plus the Meaford Community Readiness Study (1,849 pages) As Summarized using Google NotebookLM Artificial Intelligence (AI) The Google NotebookLM AI summary below is based on 325 public comments and 93 attachments (PDF) as submitted in response to the Initial Project Description released by IAAC on Mar 6, 2026. In addition, the Deloitte Meaford Community Readiness Study Apr 27, 2026, has been included in this otherwise closed query. See enclosed listing of attachments included or excluded from this AI analysis. Duplicates have not been excluded. ___________________________ May 21, 2026 12:45 pm version AI results. Overview of ...
• Attachment Included
• May 19, 2026 1 MEMO To: From: Date: File No.: Subject: Garry Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter Folkes Scott MacPhee, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter and Associates May 19, 2026 22-402 Georgian Bay (Ontario) Pumped Storage – Open AI Query on Climate Change E ects on the Nottawasaga Bay Ecosystem Using Google Gemini 3 AI 1. For Nottawasaga Bay (Georgian Bay), what is the anticipated cumulative effect of climate change on the nearshore fish communities, spawning reefs, prey species, fish-eating birds and the aquatic ecosystem including invasive species, considering implementation of a 500 m3/s daily cyclical Pumped Storage at Meaford Department of National Defence Base? Evaluating the cumulative effects of climate change alongside the operation of a massive infrastructure asset—like the proposed 1,000 MW Ontario Pumped Storage Project at the Meaford Department of National Defence (DND) base—requires assessing how thermal shifts, physical stressors, and biological ...
• Attachment Included
• May 19, 2026 1 MEMO To: From: Date: File No.: Subject: Garry Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter Folkes Scott MacPhee, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter and Associates May 19, 2026 22-402 Georgian Bay (Ontario) Pumped Storage – Open AI Query on Value of Nottawasaga Bay Sport Fishery to Meaford and Thornbury Using Google Gemini 3 AI 1. What is the value of the Nottawasaga Bay Sport Fishery to Meaford and Thornbury? The sport fishery of Nottawasaga Bay (the southern portion of Georgian Bay) is a critical economic and cultural pillar for Meaford and Thornbury. While a single total dollar figure for these two specific towns is rarely isolated in provincial reports, the value can be broken down into economic impact, infrastructure, and ecological importance. 1. Economic Impact & Tourism Recreational fishing in Ontario is a $2.2 billion annual industry, and the southern Georgian Bay region is one of its most active hubs.  Direct Spending: Anglers traveling to Meaford and ...
• Attachment Included
• May 19, 2026 1 MEMO To: From: Date: File No.: Subject: Garry Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter Folkes Scott MacPhee, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter and Associates May 19, 2026 22-402 Georgian Bay (Ontario) Pumped Storage – Open AI Query on Seismicity and Cyclical Reservoir Filling E ects on Pumped Storage Infrastructure Using Google Gemini 3 AI 1. How will local earthquakes similar to the Oct 20, 2005 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake in Georgian Bay off of Meaford, seismicity, Niagara Escarpment Geological Formations, including Manitoulin, Queenston, Georgian Bay, Blue Mountain, Rouge River, Collingwood and Cobourg Formations, and cyclical reservoir filling with daily cyclical flow of 500 m3/s affect the Pumped Storage Infrastructure at Meaford Department of National Defence Base? The proposed 1,000 MW Ontario Pumped Storage Project at the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre (Meaford DND Base) involves constructing an upper reservoir atop the Niagara Escarpment and ...
• Attachment Included
• May 19, 2026 1 MEMO To: From: Date: File No.: Subject: Garry Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter Folkes Scott MacPhee, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter and Associates May 19, 2026 22-402 Georgian Bay (Ontario) Pumped Storage (Non-Thermal) – Open AI Query on how the water intake and discharges a ects the Aquatic Ecosystem in Nottawasaga Bay Using Google Gemini 3 AI 1. For Georgian Bay, where do Lake Sturgeon, Whitefish, Lake Trout and Wild Salmon spawn and where is the critical habitat? Georgian Bay’s pristine waters and complex shoreline provide some of the most diverse spawning habitats in the Great Lakes. While specific spawning locations are often kept confidential by conservationists to prevent disturbance, the general regions and critical habitat requirements for these four species are well-documented. 1. Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) Sturgeon are "living fossils" and are currently listed as Threatened/Endangered in Ontario.  Where They Spawn: They ...
• Attachment Included
• May 20, 2026 1 MEMO To: From: Date: File No.: Subject: Garry Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter Folkes Scott MacPhee, B.A.Sc., P.Eng. Hunter and Associates May 20, 2026 22-402 Georgian Bay (Ontario) Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Summary of DND Meaford Munitions and Contamination Monitoring Reports As Summarized using Google NotebookLM Artificial Intelligence (AI) Google NotebookLM AI has been utilized to provide a ‘closed query’ summary of the following DND Meaford Munitions and Contamination Monitoring Reports as described below. The Evaluation of Soil Contamination by Explosive and Metals at Meaford DND by Defence R & D Canada - Valcartier (May 2009); the Stantec 2020 Groundwater Monitoring and Sampling Report for DND (Mar 30, 2021); the Stantec 2021 Groundwater Monitoring and Sampling Report (Mar 22, 2022); the Arcadis Groundwater Monitoring and Sampling Report (Mar 2023); the Meaford DND Munitions Monitoring Plan, Part B - Annual Results Report (Mar ...

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Attachment Ecological Study

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Save Georgian Bay Association
• Reference Number: 330
• Submitted: 2026-04-20 - 5:34 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: N/A
• This submission is a study by Mark Heaton, Symbiosys, an ecological study conducted for the Save Georgian Bay Association and Small Change Fund.  The study presents groundwater and water shed issues, Species at Risk, natural heritage and cumulative effects.
• Attachment Included
• The Save Georgian Bay Association 102 Ross Street Meaford, Ontario N4L 1W7 March 19, 2026 By email to: Nottawasaga@iaac-aeic.gc.ca CC: MinisterEnergy@ontario.ca mikeschreiner@gpo.ca alex.ruff@parl.gc.ca Terence Hubbard, President Impact Assessment Agency of Canada Place Bell Canada 160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3 Re: Public Comments on the Initial Project Description — Ontario Pumped Storage Project Canadian Impact Assessment Registry No. 89803 Proponent: TransCanada Energy Ltd. (TC Energy or TCE) IPD Prepared by: Stantec Consulting Ltd., Project No. 123515349 IPD Date: February 24, 2026 Comment Period Deadline: April 6, 2026 Dear President Hubbard, The Save Georgian Bay Association (SGB) submits these comments on TC Energy’s (TCE) Initial Project Description (IPD) for the proposed 1,000 MW open-loop pumped storage hydropower project on the shore of Georgian Bay at the Department of National Defence’s (DND) 4th ...

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Attachment MNR -Enclosure 1 - Provincial Authority Advice Record - Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Administrator on behalf of Ministry of Natural Resources
• Reference Number: 341
• Submitted: 2026-04-14 - 12:08 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: N/A
• See the attached submission / Veuillez consulter la pièce jointe  
• Attachment Included
• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Impact Assessment Agency of Canada – Provincial Authority Advice Record 1 Enclosure 1: Provincial Authority Advice Record – Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Please submit the completed form by April 6, 2026, to Nottawasaga@iaac-aeic.gc.ca.1 Submission Date April 2, 2026 Ministry/Organization Ministry of Natural Resources Lead Contact, Title, Work Unit Email, Phone Pauline Capelle, A/ Senior Planner, Land Use Planning and Strategic Issues Section Pauline.Capelle@Ontario.ca (705) 313-0708 Alternate Contact, Title, Work Unit Email, Phone Jeffrey Dennis, Resource Development Planning Coordinator, Land Use Planning and Strategic Issues Section Jeffrey.Dennis@Ontario.ca (437) 998-4004 Provincial frameworks and opportunities for cooperation 1. Describe any provincial regulatory frameworks that apply to the project (e.g., permitting, environmental assessment or registrations, compliance limits, land ...

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Attachment MCM - Enclosure 1 - Provincial Authority Advice Record - Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Administrator on behalf of Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
• Reference Number: 340
• Submitted: 2026-04-14 - 12:07 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• See the attached submission / Veuillez consulter la pièce jointe  
• Attachment Included
• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Impact Assessment Agency of Canada – Provincial Authority Advice Record 1 Enclosure 1: Provincial Authority Advice Record – Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Please submit the completed form by April 6, 2026, to Nottawasaga@iaac-aeic.gc.ca.1 Submission Date April 9, 2026 Ministry/Organization Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Lead Contact, Title, Work Unit Email, Phone Dan Minkin, Heritage Planner, Heritage Planning Unit Dan.minkin@ontario.ca 416-786-7553 Alternate Contact, Title, Work Unit Email, Phone Karla Barboza, Team Lead, Heritage Planning Unit Karla.barboza@ontario.ca 416-660-1027 Provincial frameworks and opportunities for cooperation 1. Describe any provincial regulatory frameworks that apply to the project (e.g., permitting, environmental assessment or registrations, compliance limits, land use policies, contractual agreements), including: a) the project activities ...

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Attachment TC Energy Ontario Pumped Storage Project

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Administrator on behalf of Township of Tiny
• Reference Number: 313
• Submitted: 2026-04-07 - 2:38 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• See the attached submission / Veuillez consulter la pièce jointe
• Attachment Included
• 130 Balm Beach Road West Tiny, Ontario L0L 2J0 (705) 526-4204 | 1-866-939-8469 www.tiny.ca April 2, 2026 Terence Hubbard, President, Impact Assessment Agency IAAC (Impact Assessment Agency of Canada) 55 York Street, Suite 600 Toronto, ON M5J 1R7 ontarioregion-regiondontario@iaac-aeic.gc.ca Re: TC Energy Ontario Pumped Storage Project At its April 1, 2026 Council Meeting, the Township of Tiny Council ratified the following resolution regarding TC Energy Ontario Pumped Storage Project: Moved by Councillor Sean Mskimins Seconded by Councillor Dave Brunelle WHEREAS the Township of Tiny recognizes the importance of developing reliable and sustainable energy infrastructure for the Province of Ontario and acknowledges that energy projects of this scale may have significant environmental, economic, and social implications for our region, particularly for Georgian Bay and surrounding ecosystems; AND WHEREAS the proposed TC Energy Ontario Pumped Storage ...
• Attachment Included
• Severn Sound Environmental Association 489 Finlayson St, PO Box 460, Port McNicoll ON L0K 1R0 Phone (705) 534-7283 | Website: www.severnsound.ca September 9, 2025 Township of Tiny 130 Balm Beach Road W Tiny, Ontario L0L 2J0 Dear Mayor and Council, RE: SSEA Comment – Requested by Township of Tiny Council RE: The TC Energy Pumped Storage Proposal The SSEA has conducted an initial assessment of the TC Energy pumped storage proposal. The proposed project falls outside of the Severn Sound watershed and the jurisdiction of the SSEA. The local watershed planning authority and organization with local expertise on this site and this project would be the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority. While SSEA staff can’t provide specific comment on localized effects of the pumped storage facility near Meaford, we offer some thoughts on potential widespread effects on Georgian Bay, specifically considering the western coast of Tiny Township, which of all the shorelines ...

Attachment Needs study in multiple areas and is of high enough risk that it shouldn’t proceed

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: John Noga
• Reference Number: 310
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 11:55 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• This endeavour has multiple unresolved and high risk issues that lead to the conclusion that it should not proceed. 1. Environmental impacts (major concern) Water quality & aquatic life: The project would pump and release billions of litres of water daily, which would: disturb sediments reduce water clarity alter temperature and oxygen levels Fish and other organisms would be harmed through “entrainment” (being pulled into turbines), this is an ongoing issue at existing generation facilities  Ecosystems & species at risk in an important part of the province: The site lies near the Niagara Escarpment, I have lived in this controlled area and understand the fragile nature and need to protect it for Ontario Construction of a large reservoir and infrastructure would include, similar to hydroelectric projects that require a high level ...

Attachment Opposed

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Ted Crysler
• Reference Number: 309
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 11:34 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• The provincial government energy regulator has reviewed this project and indicated that it does not have economic value for the province of Ontario. This would seem sufficient to stop the project now. There are much better ways that TCE could contribute to green energy if it is committed to do so, rather than pursuing this pumped storage project. There will be negative environmental impacts on both the water and the land. The transmission line was originally going to be underwater to Wasaga Beach in order to connect to the Stayner transformer station, however this seems to have changed to an overland transmission system. I have not seen any indication of the route. Presumably it could revert to an underwater line again, which would be disruptive to the Georgian Bay ecosystem. The project's impact on fish is likely to be negative, with increased turbidity in the water at the base of the pump lines as well. The project seems predicated on lower electricity rates overnight when ...

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Attachment Disapprove

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: JOSHUA KNELLER
• Reference Number: 308
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 11:12 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• This is a great misrepresentation of trust and good will for the people and the land. No cost benefit or environmental benefit. Useless to Canadians.

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Attachment CIAR, Information Request Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Administrator on behalf of Nicole Corrado
• Reference Number: 315
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:54 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Please preserve the trees at this location. Please do not harm animals with this project. Please do not use animal testing for pollution and effluent monitoring.  https://www.change.org/p/stop-testing-sewer-water-on-laboratory-fish ? Please work with the Canadian Centre for the Alternatives to Animal Methods.  https://www.uwindsor.ca/ccaam/ Please only use non lethal ways to live with geese, beavers, and other wildlife. Develop a Living With Coyotes program with the animal welfare organization Coyote Watch Canada.  www.coyotewatchcanada.com Please only use non lethal ways to manage wildlife. There are humane, non lethal ways to deal with beavers. Here's a great ...

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Attachment Save the animals

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Beaconsfield Animal Services
• Reference Number: 307
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:52 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Please preserve the trees at this location. Please do not harm animals with this project. Please do not use animal testing for pollution and effluent monitoring. https://www.change.org/p/stop-testing-sewer-water-on-laboratory-fish ?Please work with the Canadian Centre for the Alternatives to Animal Methods. https://www.uwindsor.ca/ccaam/ Please only use non lethal ways to live with geese, beavers, and other wildlife. Develop a Living With Coyotes program with the animal welfare organization Coyote Watch Canada. www.coyotewatchcanada.com (http://www.coyotewatchcanada.com/) Please only use non lethal ways to manage wildlife. There are humane, non lethal ways to deal with beavers. Here's a great ...

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Attachment Meaford Pumped Storage

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: C S
• Reference Number: 306
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:37 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I would like to provide one brief clarification regarding the project’s impact on Ontario’s electricity system. Ontario currently meets its electricity needs reliably, and the province frequently exports surplus electricity to the United States. There is no present supply shortage, no reliability crisis, and no demonstrated need for additional storage capacity of this scale. Since pumped storage is a net consumer of electricity, this project will require additional power generation capacity for decades. This permanent increase in demand is a material adverse effect, particularly in a province that already has surplus generation. Any assessment of the project’s purported benefits must therefore consider whether the services it claims to provide are actually needed, and whether those benefits justify the increased system load and associated environmental, economic, and social impacts. Given the proponent’s clear incentive to present ...

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Attachment ORA Comments on the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project. Reference No. 89803

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Ontario Rivers Alliance
• Reference Number: 305
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:29 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is a not-for-profit grassroots organization with a mission to protect, conserve, and restore Ontario rivers. ORA advocates for effective policy and legislation to ensure that development affecting Ontario rivers is environmentally and socially sustainable.  See full submission in PDF below.
• Attachment Included
• 379 Ronka Road Worthington, ON P0M3H0 LindaH@OntarioRiversAlliance.ca OntarioRiversAlliance.ca “A World of Healthy River Ecosystems” 6 April 2026 Impact Assessment Agency of Canada 600-55 York Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 1R7 Email: Nottawasaga@iaac-aeic.gc.ca Re: Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project – Project Reference: 89803 Dear Sirs: The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is a not-for-profit grassroots organization with a mission to protect, conserve, and restore Ontario rivers. ORA advocates for effective policy and legislation to ensure that development affecting Ontario rivers is environmentally and socially sustainable. 1. Introduction and ORA Position ORA respectfully submits the following critique of the Initial Project Description – Plain Language Summary (IPD Summary) for the Ontario Pumped Storage Project (the Project), proposed by TransCanada Energy Ltd. (TC Energy) near Meaford, Ontario. ORA notes that the IPD Summary was prepared by a ...

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Attachment Objections to the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project #89803

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: June Porter
• Reference Number: 304
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:21 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Resubmitting as attached document didn't upload. Impact Assessment Agency of Canada 55 York Street – Suite 600 Toronto, ON M5J 1R7 April 6, 2026 RE: Objections to the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project #89803 Dear Assessment Project Leader, As a Councillor and resident of The Town of The Blue Mountains, Ontario, an adjacent community which relies on water from  Georgian Bay. As a Town Councillor, I am legally bound to protect the drinking water of the residents I serve. I cannot accept the risk this project poses to our drinking water supply. Water sustains human life and is vital for human health (https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/water ). Water travels to this muncipality from Meaford quickly as within a day of the Johnny O fire dated May  25, 2023 where there was a significant volume of vehicle tires destroyed. The importance of this statement is that within one day rubber tire pieces appeared ...
• Attachment Included
• Impact Assessment Agency of Canada 55 York Street – Suite 600 Toronto, ON M5J 1R7 April 6, 2026 RE: Objections to the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project #89803 Dear Assessment Project Leader, As a Councillor and resident of The Town of The Blue Mountains, Ontario, an adjacent community which relies on water from Georgian Bay. As a Town Councillor, I am legally bound to protect the drinking water of the residents I serve. I cannot accept the risk this project poses to our drinking water supply. Water sustains human life and is vital for human health (https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/water ). I have experienced that water travels to this area from Meaford quickly as within a day of the Johnny O fire dated May 25, 2023 where there was a significant volume of vehicle tires destroyed. The importance of this statement is that within one day rubber tire pieces appeared along the shoreline of town owned water access at the north end of Lansdowne Street ...

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Attachment Temporary Workforce Housing and Community Impacts

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Keith Bumstead
• Reference Number: 303
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:15 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I oppose the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project because its social effects on Meaford and Grey County have not been responsibly addressed. TC Energy’s own summary says people have already raised concerns about “workforce accommodation and community life,” including where construction workers will be housed, local infrastructure capacity, community well-being, and adverse effects from a workforce influx. The project materials also identify potential effects on local commercial accommodation capacity, the local housing market, regional population, traffic, and demand for social infrastructure and utilities. This is not a speculative issue. In its Initial Project Description, TC Energy says it is still evaluating labour market capacity, has not yet determined whether temporary workforce accommodations will be required, and will only develop an accommodation strategy later. It also says some workers will need to come from elsewhere in Ontario or Canada ...

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Attachment Objections to the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project #89803

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: June Porter
• Reference Number: 302
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:13 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Comments are submitted as a Councillor and resident of The Town of The Blue Mountains, Ontario, an adjacent community which relies on water from Georgian Bay. As a Town Councillor, I am legally bound to protect the drinking water of the residents I serve. I cannot accept the risk this project poses to our drinking water supply. Water sustains human life and is vital for human health (https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/water ). Please find my attached document outlining my objections and concerns regarding the risks of the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project #89803. I appreciate the need for energy and energy storage options, however, alternatives to this site need to be explored. Respectfully submitted,  June Porter

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Attachment Project Noise, Blasting, and Vibration Impacts on Nearby Residents

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Allyson Bumstead
• Reference Number: 301
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 10:03 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I oppose the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project on the current record because TC Energy has not shown that noise and vibration effects on nearby homes will be acceptable. The project description says some residential properties adjacent to 4 CDTC are located less than 500 m from project components. It also says project-specific existing-condition noise and vibration studies have not been completed. For a project with homes this close, that is a serious gap, not a minor detail. The filing shows that this would be a long construction project, with construction planned from 2029 to 2035. TC Energy says construction will generate noise from vehicle traffic, equipment, tunnelling, and blasting. It also says blasting vibration can annoy people at large distances and damage buildings at close distances, and that applicable noise guidance is used to identify when residents may reach thresholds of annoyance or sleep disturbance. Those issues should be addressed before the ...

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Attachment Time of Day Pricing and Electrical Grid Flattening

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Darren Kingston
• Reference Number: 300
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:59 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Hello, Becuase this project does not have a net power benefit, it is proposed to help with providing power when it is currently most required, during high use time periods.  TC will make money by using power from the grid when it is cheapest, and in the least demand at night, and selling the power when the price is highest.  My concern is that the assumption that the power grid will remain as it is today in 2030 and beyond is a very bad/inaccurate assumption.  With the uptake of Electric cars, by 2030 and beyond, the power grid is expected to flatten, rendering the entire project useless.   People will be charing their electric cars at night, thereby flattening the grid.  This is not an assumption, but rather a predictable fact.  All we have to do is look at countires, like Norway, where electric cars already make up over 50% of the cars on the road.   With the increased demand on the grid at night, when E-cars are being charged, ...

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Attachment Meaford Hydropower Project

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Courtney Murgatroyd
• Reference Number: 299
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:34 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
•  Dear Mr. Skocylas, I am a third-generation Georgian Bay island cottager, and I strongly support the need for a full environmental assessment before this hydroelectric project moves forward. As stewards of Georgian Bay, it is in our best interest to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of this Great Lake. The Georgian Bay Association has highlighted numerous concerns, including impacts on fish and fish habitat, water quality, species at risk, the health and safety of swimmers and boaters, as well as shoreline erosion and modification. For these reasons, I believe it is imperative that this project proceed with caution and careful consideration of its potential environmental impacts. Sincerely, Courtney    

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Attachment In Favour, with conditions.

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Bob Peel
• Reference Number: 298
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:30 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I have been around Georgian Bay all my life, and have a great love for the beautiful blue water, the fishing, and the people surrounding the Bay. I have served on the Meaford Chamber of Commerce for many years, including 2 1/2 years as Chamber President, and have served on the committee that puts together Meaford Dragons for the past 8 years. My daughter moved to the Municipality of Meaford some 7 years ago and has a business on Sykes Street. I maintain an office and a warehouse in town, and have coached dozens of local small businesses. I have also served as a member of the Pumped Storage Advisory Committee, from its inception in 2024 to its dissolution in February 2026.  I wish to add my voice of support to this project, as a key component of the Ontario Power Grid, as a power backstop to the military base and as an economic driver of the local, regional and Provincial economy.  I do wish however, to condition my response on the very premise that ...

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Attachment Open Loop Pumped Storage across the bay from UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve is needlessly dangerous, costly AND totally Obsolete.

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Concerned Citizen and local Resident
• Reference Number: 297
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:24 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Environmental Concerns The proposed pumped storage project poses significant environmental risks to the UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE of South Georgian Bay’s ecosystem. The construction and operation of such a large-scale OPEN LOOP hydro facility would disrupt aquatic habitats, alter natural water flow, and threaten water quality in one of Ontario’s most sensitive freshwater environments. Meanwhile, modern chemical battery technologies—such as Vanadium Flow, sodium-ion, and other emerging battery systems—offer clean, efficient, modular, and rapidly deployable alternatives. These solutions can deliver the same 1,000 MW of long-duration storage without the ecological disruption associated with large-scale hydro engineering. As these technologies continue to advance, their lifecycle environmental footprint and cost per megawatt-hour are steadily decreasing, making pumped storage appear outdated and environmentally regressive. They can also be ...

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Attachment concerned

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Anna lee Sangster
• Reference Number: 296
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:18 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I am concerned about this proposal for a many reasons, which include both harm and irreversible damage to the existing environment, ecosystems, and habitats as well as potential for drinking water contamination. The local community will experience substantial negative impacts during and after the construction of this facility. Construction traffic alone will be unbearable for local residents, not to mention, the lack of safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in place currently to help protect people using different modes of transportation on the roads that will also be used for construction routes. I'm also concerned about the noise of the built and functioning pumped storage facility, and impacts on the local residents when operating (both when water is pumped and released). I'm concerned for residents who live below and down-slope from the pumped storage basin should the basin ever fail - it would be catastrophic. Alternative options that are less expensive and less ...

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Attachment who will be responsable for the enviromental clean up?

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: David Harvey
• Reference Number: 295
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:15 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• This project will make rich investors richer and provide no new source of energy at all; it is time-shifting for profit and a handful of jobs. Short-term construction jobs for the vast majority will be sourced from outside the community. Using contaminated land to build a reservoir situated on unstable karst hoping the liner does not leak or rip with 23 million metric tons of weight being added every day and losing that much every night rupturing and contaminating dumping 23 billion litres  of  water (daily output thats 9200 olympic pools full) ) into a delicate ecosystem threatens drinking water, as well as vibrant recreational and commercial fisheries and tourism, all of which are at risk. This project provides fewer jobs and less tourism than a mini-golf course on a plot of land one-one-hundredth the size would. What benefit does this provide for the community? For that matter, what benefit does this bring to Ontario? Does this bring down ...

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Attachment The solution to pollution is not dilution

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Andy Metelka
• Reference Number: 294
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:14 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
•  After a limited time to review the proponent's proposal (30 days), we provide our submission for your review. Given more time, we would certainly provide further information and a more detailed review if necessary. We are disappointed that a longer review period has not been granted, since the proponent has had years to prepare for this project. From the information provided by the proponent, we have determined that this project is a financial incentive for the proponent and a significant risk and setback for the taxpayers of Ontario, who are funding it.  It has become difficult to overturn despite extreme opposition over the last few years, but it now raises serious questions for all Georgian Bay residents and wildlife.  The threat to health and safety for financial gains or losses is an extreme risk. If any of the following situations occur during the project or at its completion, they can be difficult to reverse, both environmentally and ...
• Attachment Included
• Mr. Stefan Skocylas, Regulatory Lead Ontario Pumped Storage Project Impact Assessment Agency of Canada 600-55 York Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 1R7 April 5, 2026 Review of: Project No. 89803, TC Energy Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project After a limited time to review the proponent's proposal (30 days), we provide our submission for your review. Given more time, we would certainly provide further information and a more detailed review if necessary. We are disappointed that a longer review period has not been granted, since the proponent has had years to prepare for this project. From the information provided by the proponent, we have determined that this project is a financial incentive for the proponent and a significant risk and setback for the taxpayers of Ontario, who are funding it. It has become difficult to overturn despite extreme opposition over the last few ...

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Attachment Concerns about TCE Proposal

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Wendy Best
• Reference Number: 293
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 9:09 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I am concerned about: 1) lakebed erosion/turbidity and its impact on water supplies (private and Meaford's municipal intake). 2) the impact of multiple water intakes at the Site, increased turbidity, and potential temperature increases on aquatic ecosystem health. 3) Expropriation of land to construct transmission towers for conveyance of this energy - either in Meaford or across Georgian Bay 4) that the use of 1 unit of fossil fuel energy to create <= 0.75 units of energy only works at certain cost differentials between peak and off-peak power  5) the poor precedent set by using federal lands for For Profit Enterprise. 6) the potential impact of standard operations at the military base on the integrity of the upper basin. (i.e shock waves produces by explosives). I feel a lower basin would solve some of these issues.  

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Attachment Expropriated for military purposes- not Private Profits

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Keith Bumstead
• Reference Number: 292
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 8:56 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I strongly object to the Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project and ask IAAC not to allow it to proceed at 4 CDTC. This is not a routine energy-storage project on vacant or surplus land. It is a proposal to place a large private commercial power project on federal land that was expropriated for military purposes and that DND itself says is still actively used by the Canadian Armed Forces and is not surplus to Defense requirements. My central concern is land use. This land was taken from families for national defense, not for future transfer to a private industrial developer. If land is no longer needed for the military purpose for which it was taken, it should not simply be repurposed for commercial use. It should be returned, or at the very least the government must fully address the public-interest, historical, and ethical implications of using expropriated military land for a private project. My family has a direct and personal stake in this issue. Families affected ...

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Attachment Submissions Opposing

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Joyce Gateman
• Reference Number: 291
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 8:49 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I agree with all the submissions opposing the pumped storage project in Meaford. There are numerous reasons and concerns to investigate this TC Energy project. The digging and tunnelling on active DND occupied land is most concerning to me. The disturbance of unexploded ordnance, the risks of toxic laden soil and the runoff to our precious fresh water. A body of water which is the life line to hundreds of communities around Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. Submission #167 - City of Owen Sound supported, with conditions, the TC Energy project. To quote, “City of Owen Sound is pleased to conditionally support this project, which promises significant environmental, economic, and societal benefits.” Promises significant environmental, economic and societal benefits. Who can promise significant environmental benefits? TCE? What promise? When has the environment every benefited from any 7+ billion project? This proponent has ...

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Attachment Have you thought about the environment and how this will affect future generations! It doesn’t appear that you have

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Susan Arnold
• Reference Number: 290
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 8:22 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• have you thought about what this is going to do to the water and our environment. We need to consider future generations and the quality of life they're going to have

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Attachment Comments to the IAAC regarding TC Energy's pumped storage proposal --IAAC registry number 89803

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Administrator on behalf of Clair Balfour
• Reference Number: 324
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 8:17 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Dear Ms. McLeod Norberg:   In accordance with a March 6 email from you, I am sending my comments plus three supporting documents regarding TC Energy's proposed pumped storage (hydropower) project in Meaford, Ont.   The first document is a copy of an email received Feb. 2 from HUB International insurance which is simply copied on this email. It concerns the non-availability of flood insurance coverage.   The second is an attachment to this email from Hunter and Associates and is being included for images H.3.1 and H.3.2, which outline the Torrential Flood Zone below TC Energy's proposed reservoir and the properties and homes that would be at risk.   The third is a single image which highlights many of the residential properties below the proposed reservoir and can be read with the larger Hunter and Associates document.   These ...
• Attachment Included
• Please see the attachment to view the content.
• Attachment Included
• COMMENTS TO THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT AGENCY OF CANADA From: Clair Balfour, a Meaford property owner whose land borders TC Energy’s proposed pumped storage project site Re IAAC Registry Number 89803 April 6, 2026 I am writing as a homeowner on the 7th Line in Meaford, Ontario, one of approximately 300 property owners—an estimated 800 to 1,000 residents—living directly below the planned 135-hectare reservoir that is central to TC Energy’s proposed Pumped Storage Project on the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre (Project No 89803 for which the Initial Project Description was registered with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada on February 24, 2026). The IPD and its executive summary total 289 pages. Despite that length, the documents are noteworthy for one thing: their lack of concrete factual information. There are frequent references to studies initiated or undertaken by TC Energy, many as far back as 2020, but almost no actual data or findings ...
• Attachment Included
• Ms. Eve McLeod Norberg E-MAIL A/Project Manager, Ontario Region Eve.McleodNorberg@iaac-aeic.gc.ca Impact Assessment Agency of Canada ottawasaga@iaac-aeic.gc.ca VISUALS Under the Reservoir Impact Group Georgian Bay Pumped Storage IAAC Ref No. 69-803 Comments on the Initial Project Description Released on March 6, 2026 by the IACC TC Energy Proposed Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project Near Meaford, Ontario, on Nottawasaga Bay (Georgian Bay) Prepared by: Garry T. Hunter, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Environmental Systems Planner, Hydrogeologist and Civil Engineer Hunter and Associates April 6, 2026 Our File No.: 22-402 mailto:Eve.McleodNorberg@iaac-aeic.gc.ca Ms. Eve McLeod Norberg A/Project Manager, Ontario Region Impact Assessment Agency of Canada April 6, 2026 FIGURE INDEX 1.0 Proponent's Conceptual Key Project Components Fig H.1.1 Preliminary Project ...

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Attachment Immediate Air shed Bylaw, no time to wait.

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Joseph Leung
• Reference Number: 289
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 7:49 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• Resident of Annan, Sydenham for 24 years and I am concerned about many issues, this issue is very important to Protect Air- quality in case this project is approved. As Residents we have the right to protect our Health. The municipality has the responsibility to pass Bylaws, and Air Quality is one of those.  A good Example is Oakville, Ontario where TCE was building a 900MW Gas plant. In September 2009, the Ontario Power Authority ( OPA announced it had accepted TransCanada' bid to build The Natural gas- fired power generation facility on Ford- owned lands in southeast Oakville , near Royal Windsor and Ford Drives. The Town of Oakville was not consulted prior to the announcement. This development acted as a catalyst for the town to take more direct action to address a growing concern in the Oakville community poor Air Quality. The town hired Dr. David Balsillie.  His report's fourth recommendation calls for all applications for ...

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Attachment Strongly oppose the Ontario PSP

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Tina Veer
• Reference Number: 288
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 7:42 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I am deeply concerned about the proposed TCE pumped storage project and strongly oppose its approval. At its core, this project does not make economic sense. The IESO has already rejected it twice on the basis that it does not provide economic benefit to ratepayers. That alone should be sufficient reason to halt further consideration. What is difficult to understand is how a project deemed economically unfeasible at earlier cost estimates continues to advance as projected costs increase, not decrease. Initial figures in the billions have already risen significantly, with estimates now reaching approximately $7 billion and potentially climbing toward $10 billion, as is common with projects of this scale. However, no detailed feasibility study or cost analysis has been completed regarding the remediation of the heavily contaminated land at the site, and it remains unclear whether, or to what extent, those costs are reflected in current projections. In other ...

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Attachment Serious concerns and suggestions

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: SVS Canada Inc.
• Reference Number: 287
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 7:40 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• After a limited time to review the proponent's proposal (30 days), we provide our submission for your review. Given more time, we would certainly provide further information and a more detailed review if necessary. We are disappointed that a longer review period has not been granted, since the proponent has had years to prepare for this project. From the information provided by the proponent, we have determined that this project is a financial incentive for the proponent and a significant risk and setback for the taxpayers of Ontario, who are funding it.  It has become difficult to overturn despite extreme opposition over the last few years, but it now raises serious questions for all Georgian Bay residents and wildlife.  The threat to health and safety for financial gains or losses is an extreme risk. If any of the following situations occur during the project or at its completion, they can be difficult to reverse, both environmentally and ...
• Attachment Included
• Mr. Stefan Skocylas, Regulatory Lead Ontario Pumped Storage Project Impact Assessment Agency of Canada 600-55 York Street Toronto, Ontario M5J 1R7 April 5, 2026 Review of: Project No. 89803, TC Energy Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project After a limited time to review the proponent's proposal (30 days), we provide our submission for your review. Given more time, we would certainly provide further information and a more detailed review if necessary. We are disappointed that a longer review period has not been granted, since the proponent has had years to prepare for this project. From the information provided by the proponent, we have determined that this project is a financial incentive for the proponent and a significant risk and setback for the taxpayers of Ontario, who are funding it. It has become difficult to overturn despite extreme opposition over the last few ...

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Attachment Better options are available

• Ontario Pumped Storage Hydropower Project
• Author: Jerry Primak
• Reference Number: 286
• Submitted: 2026-04-06 - 7:33 PM
• Project Phase: Planning
• Participation Notice: Public notice - Comments invited on the summary of the Initial Project Description and funding available
• I oppose the building of a Pumped Storage Project in Meaford for many reasons. The cost of an estimated 7 billion will be much higher as happens with all projects of this size. The increase in the price of fuel because of the war with further drive up prices Twice IESO turned down the proposal and this was ignored. The fresh water from Georgian Bay and the Great Lakes is an essential long term resource and we must protect it . It is everyones responsibility . DND has tested the soil on the base in the past and found contaminents that will leach into the drinking water of wells and the Meaford water intake nearby.  TCE has never done a project like this , how many things could go wrong. How safe is a reservoir above 300 homes? Where will the workers live during the build? Will women and children be exploited by a "man camp" Will the transmission lines go under Georgian Bay or overland on the Niagara Escarpment , both option are harmful eoither ...

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