Trout Lake River GS – Dannenmann to MECP

By Linda Heron on Saturday, December 5th, 2020

Posted in Big Falls, Class EA for Waterpower, Hydroelectric, Part II Order requests, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Trout Lake River

Big Falls – Victory – stopped a proposed hydroelectric project on a sacred site!

The Trout Lake River has since time before memory been out travel route to and from Lac Seul and other places south. That river system is still a travel route. The river is full of wild rice fields, medicines, and other relations who thrive in the interdependence of this water system. The Trout Lake River meets with the Chukuni River and both then flow into the English River. Downstream of the English River are two communities, Grassy Narrows First Nation and Wabaseemoong First Nation. These two communities have already been devastated by the presence of methyl-mercury in the water and in their local food sources. I am sure that you are aware of their ongoing efforts to have the river cleaned up and for their people to be given proper medical care for having been poisoned by this polluted river.

You will find all the submissions made by ORA and our members here.

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Trout Lake River Hydroelectric Generating Station, at Big Falls – Update from 2013

By Linda Heron on Tuesday, October 6th, 2020

Posted in Big Falls, Class EA for Waterpower, Dams, Hydroelectric, Impacts, Mercury, Mitigation, Part II Order requests, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Toxics, Trout Lake River

Big Falls, Trout Lake River

In May of 2013 the Ontario Rivers Alliance made a Part II Order request on the proposed Trout Lake River Hydroelectric Generating Station, at Big Falls, in the Red Lake area. This proposal seemed to die a natural death with no decision on our Part II request, or activity/movement forward on the project. Here we are now more than 7 years later, and last week we received the correspondence below from the MECP stating that

“As part of our government’s efforts to boost Ontario’s economic recovery after COVID- 19, we have passed the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, including amendments to the Environmental Assessment Act.

The changes to the Environmental Assessment Act will allow us to build a strong environmental assessment program that effectively considers the input of local communities and focuses on projects that have the highest impact to the environment. The Act will continue to consider “the protection, conservation and wise management in Ontario of the environment”. A key change made to the Environmental Assessment Act was to limit Part II Order requests to potential adverse impacts of projects to constitutionally protected Aboriginal or treaty rights. All Part II Order requests that were under review which do not pertain to potential adverse impacts on constitutionally protected Aboriginal or treaty rights have been terminated by the amendments.”

The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act was passed earlier this year, and this legislative amendment is retroactive in its backwards reach to 2013. In spite of the government’s misleading claim that the changes to the EAA “will allow us to build a strong environmental assessment program”, it couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there is now no mechanism to request a more rigorous environmental assessment, and public consultation and consideration on these risky projects, as well as the ability to make a Part II Order request, is no longer a possibility. There was also no public or Indigenous consultation before the passing of the Economic Recovery Act.

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Bill 197 & Proposed Major Amendments to the Class EA for Waterpower

By Linda Heron on Saturday, August 22nd, 2020

Posted in Bill-197, Class EA for Waterpower, Environmental Assessment Act, Fisheries, Hydroelectric, Industry, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Species at Risk

Instead of exemptions or a more streamlined Class EAW, the OWA should be proposing amendments to provide for a much more rigorous and accountable process that ensures fish friendly turbines, effective and safe fish passage, a more rigorous cumulative effects assessment, and a more comprehensive and meaningful consultation process. We should be making our rivers more resilient in the face of climate change – not exempting waterpower projects from the Class EAW. Instead, the OWA and the Ontario government are placing our environment and communities at risk.

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ERO-013-5101 & 5102 – Discussion Paper – Modernizing the EA Program and EAA Act

By Linda Heron on Thursday, May 23rd, 2019

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Registry, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions

The ORA is opposed to this proposal that would gut the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) and the Environmental Assessment (EA) program. Since the EAA was amended in 1996 there have been many official calls for an improved EAA and EA program, amongst those calls were the Environmental Commissioner for Ontario and the Auditor General of Ontario. Over this time, the EA program and EAA have become more and more streamlined, and this has led to increasing uncertainty for stakeholders and proponents.

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Updating the Part II Order request process under the Environmental Assessment Act – EBR: 013-2099

By Linda Heron on Thursday, April 12th, 2018

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Registry, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, Regulatory, Regulatory Submissions

Many individuals and groups embarking on the Part II Order process are new to it, have no legal assistance or background, and are unfamiliar with the terminology and rules; therefore, if we are truly aiming to provide help to the public it is extremely important that clear, succinct and concise instructions be provided in this policy/guidance document.

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Hillsburgh Dam and Bridge Class EA – Part II Order Request

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, February 1st, 2017

Posted in Dams, Fisheries, Government, Hillsburgh Dam, Lakes & Rivers Improvement Act, Part II Order requests, Rehabilitation, Removal, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, West Credit River

It is imperative that the Town of Erin examines every means possible to make its community more resilient to climate change, and most importantly, to protect its finite freshwater resources and its fishery. In fact, consideration of climate change was not even mentioned within the EA documentation, and ORA sees this as a major flaw, when it should have been included as a key consideration in the Scoring Matrix.

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Wabagishik Rapids Generating Station – Minister’s Decision on Part II Order Request

By Linda Heron on Monday, July 11th, 2016

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Energy, Environmental Reports, Government, Hydroelectric, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, Regulatory, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Vermilion River, Wabagishik Rapids

Wabagishik Rapids, Vermilion River – Photo by Aleta Karstad

It was very surprising and disappointing to read your decision letter; however, it was somewhat understandable when the Minister’s decision was based upon inaccurate and unsupported responses contained within the Ministry Review (Review) document, Xeneca Power Development Inc.’s (Xeneca) correspondence, and the Environmental Report (ER). Continue reading →

Blanche River Part II Order Request – MOECC Decision

By Linda Heron on Wednesday, July 8th, 2015

Posted in Blanche River, Class EA for Waterpower, Dams, E-Newsletter, Energy, Environmental Reports, Hydroelectric, Marter Township GS, ORA Reports, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk

On March 14, 2014, Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) submitted a Part II Order request to the Minister of Environment on the Environmental Report for the Marter Township, Blanche River Hydroelectric proposal, on the grounds that, in our opinion, Xeneca Power Development Inc. did not meet the requirements of the Class Environmental Assessment for Waterpower (Class EA) in numerous areas.

ORA is pleased to report that today we received a response from the Minister’s office, stating that “based on the ministry’s review of the Environmental Report, Xeneca has failed to meet the Class EA requirements”.

The Ministry is requiring Xeneca to go back and correct several deficiencies. Once the deficiencies are corrected Xeneca can resubmit its Notice of Completion and Environmental Report. This will be very difficult for Xeneca to fulfill with just one employee and a cell phone. We are still awaiting decisions on the Part II Order requests ORA submitted on the Wabagishik, Frederick House and Ivanhoe Rivers Environmental Reports.

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Wabagishik Rapids GS – Proposed Waterpower Project – Follow-up to Part II Order Request

By Linda Heron on Thursday, August 7th, 2014

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Dams, Energy, Environmental Reports, Government, Hydroelectric, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Vermilion River, Wabagishik Rapids

Wabagishik Rapids, Vermilion River – Photo by Aleta Karstad

What was found in the PF was encouraging, and yet at the same time very concerning. It was encouraging to see that MOE concurred with ORA and VRS, when it reported “NR’s review of the ER indicated that in several instances, the proponent has not met the requirements of the Waterpower Class EA”; however, it was disturbing that “EAB has indicated they are considering denying the Part II Order requests with conditions, noting that it may be possible to impose detailed conditions to ensure all outstanding concerns are addressed”. This referenced document goes on to express the questions, concerns and uncertainty of how to deal with this deficient ER, and whether this would “expose the Ministry to any risk (ie: other proponents seeking the same level of direction during the proponent-driven EA process, or liability issues if the approach taken leads to unforeseen negative impacts on the environment or other users)”.

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Wanatango Falls Waterpower Project – ORA Part II Order request

By Linda Heron on Thursday, August 7th, 2014

Posted in Class EA for Waterpower, Dams, Energy, Environmental Reports, Frederick House River, Hydroelectric, Lake Sturgeon, ORA Submissions, Part II Order requests, River Concerns, Rivers at Risk, Species at Risk, Wanatango Falls

In November of 2011 ORA reviewed the Wanatango Falls Final Environmental Report (ER), and expressed concern to the Minister of Environment over its many deficiencies and uncertainties in our Part II Order request. It is surprising that after 2 ½ years of additional studies, preparation, and negotiating time, that this “Final” ER has not advanced in either its sophistication, readiness, or its economic and environmental viability or certainty. Xeneca is still not ready to bring this proposal through to Notice of Completion. Many crucial decisions have not yet been made so that the public and First Nations are left with many questions unanswered.

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