This week, Grey County council will consider a resolution to support the proposed TC Energy pumped storage project in Meaford.
The resolution is on the agenda for county’s council’s committee of the whole meeting on April 25 starting at 10 a.m. Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy brought forward the resolution for council’s consideration.
The lengthy resolution, which can be found on the meeting agenda here, offers the county’s conditional support for the controversial pumped storage project subject to the proposal going through the appropriate approvals processes. It also would have Warden Brian Milne send a letter to TC Energy, Saugeen Ojibway Nation and various government agencies and departments advising of the county’s support.
The resolution states:
“Whereas the Saugeen Ojibway Nation has been keepers of these lands and water throughout history, and recognizing a commitment to Indigenous economic self-determination is important for advancing reconciliation, TC Energy has established a partnership with Saugeen Ojibway Nation early in the development process to ensure meaningful Indigenous participation and benefit; and
Whereas the Saugeen Ojibway Nation will decide whether they will approve the project, and such approval is required for the project to proceed;
Now therefore be it resolved that the council for the County of Grey hereby: Declare conditional support for TC Energy and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation proceeding with the proposed Ontario Pump Storage project, subject to the applicable approval process, including environmental and impact assessments, and the approval of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.”
The resolution of support at county council follows Owen Sound city council passing a resolution offering the project conditional support in late March.
The controversial energy generation project, which would be located on the military base in Meaford, has generated significant community opposition in Meaford. In December 2023, the Town of The Blue Mountains council supported a resolution, in principle, from the Township of Archipelago that opposes the project.
Meaford council passed a resolution in early 2023 offering conditional support from the project.
The project plans roughly include building a 375-acre reservoir dam, elevated from the shoreline, on the military training base in Meaford. Electric pumps at water level would pull water from the bay with intake pipes far from the shore, and send it up to the reservoir during off-peak hours when demand for electricity is low. Later, when the demand on the grid increases, the water would be released back into the bay by gravity, generating power for the grid.
TC Energy has been working on the project for several years and it is currently going through the various provincial and federal approval processes.
