Category Archives: Frederick House River

ORA Celebrates 10 years of Service to Ontario Rivers

A presentation made by the Chair of ORA:

A presentation made by the Chair at ORA’s 16 October 2021 Annual General Meeting:

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Ivanhoe River & Frederick House River – MECP Decision on ORA’s Part II Order requests

After reviewing the Project documentation, the issues raised by the requesters, and the outstanding concerns of technical staff, the MECP has determined that the project has not met the requirements of the Class Environmental Assessment for Waterpower Projects.

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Terminated FIT Contracts

The Ontario Rivers Alliance filed a Freedom of Information Application with the IESO in February of 2016 to obtain the following list of terminated Feed-in-Tariff Contracts: Continue reading


10 Ontario Rivers Protected from 19 Hydroelectric Projects

Wabagishik Rapids – Vermilion River

MEDIA RELEASE:  For Immediate Release:  13 July 2016

10 Ontario Rivers Protected from 19 Hydroelectric Projects

SUDBURY:  The Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) is celebrating a major victory in the protection of 10 Ontario rivers that have been under threat from 19 proposed hydroelectric projects.   Actions taken by the ORA and its members have led to what was considered to be impossible – the termination of 19 Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) Contracts.

In 2011, ORA came into being to address a rash of 87 proposed hydroelectric proposals initiated under the Green Energy Act.  The offer of generous incentives to produce power during peak demand hours had proponents rushing to claim access to falls and rapids on rivers all across the province.  The number of proposals to actually receive FIT Contracts was soon reduced to 41, and of those, Xeneca Power Development Inc. had secured 19 contracts for projects involving 23 Crown sites on 10 Ontario rivers. Continue reading


Wanatango Falls Waterpower Project – ORA Part II Order request

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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Precious Wild Rivers – Calendar, by Aleta Karstad

ORA FUNDRAISER – 50% of the profit from the purchase of these calendars will go to help Ontario Rivers Alliance in our mandate to protect, conserve and restore riverine ecosytems.   This calendar would make a great Christmas present!

A BIG THANKS to Aleta and Fred for making this possible!

A calendar for 2013 of Aleta Karstad’s oil paintings en plein air of rivers, rapids, and waterfalls in Ontario. Aleta travels with her biologist husband Fred Schueler to precious wild rivers that still run free with rapids and waterfalls, to paint and explore for little-known native mussels and crayfish, documenting these vulnerable wild communities in art and science. The image of each painting is accompanied by Aleta and Fred’s writings about their adventures in discovering the special nature of the place, as well as the nature of the threats to its integrity, leading us to enquire whether new hydroelectric projects on our wild rivers are desirable or necessary.

Standard Edition – 11×17 – Open:

Premium Edition – 13.5 x 19:


Rivers at Risk – Wanatango Falls on the Frederick House River, painting by Aleta Karstad

Wanatango Falls – 19 September 2012

This is the first of our “hydroelectric” series of plein air paintings, from a visit to a proposed damsite south on the Frederickhouse River, south of Cochrane yesterday. To see a larger image of this painting, and read about this lovely place, be sure to click on http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com 

This painting is for sold. You may view the details and comments at http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com.

For information about purchasing or commissioning paintings, feel free to e-mail me at karstad@pinicola.ca or see  http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/p/how-to-buy-karstad-biodiversity.html.

… or you can just file this message away in your own little thumbnail collection of Aleta’s daily paintings, and look forward to the next one, as we continue the 30 Years Later Expedition http://www.fragileinheritance.org/projects/thirty/thirtyintro.htm


Wanatango Falls – 19 September 2012

painted Fred and Marigold collecting moss, from photos I took after packing up from my plein air painting of the Wanatango Falls. To see a larger image of this painting, and read about Fred’s bioinventory of the place, be sure to click
on http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com.

This painting is for sold. You will find more information at http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com.

For information about purchasing or commissioning paintings, feel free to e-mail me at karstad@pinicola.ca or see  http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/p/how-to-buy-karstad-biodiversity.html.

… or you can just file this message away in your own little thumbnail collection of Aleta’s daily paintings, and look forward to the next one, as we continue the 30 Years Later Expedition http://www.fragileinheritance.org/projects/thirty/thirtyintro.htm.

Aleta Karstad


About Wanatango Falls – A River at Risk:

Xeneca Power Development Inc. (Xeneca) is proposing to build a 4.67 MW modified peaking hydroelectric dam at Wanatango Falls, on the Frederick House River.  This site is located approximately 26 km northwest of Iroquois Falls and 22 km south of Cochrane.

Wanatango has been through the gauntlet once already in 2011 when Xeneca issued the Environmental Report (ER) and Notice of Completion for this proposal; however, the river was given a reprieve when the Ministry of Environment rejected another proposal on the Ivanhoe River because it was so lacking, and Xeneca was sent back to the drawing board to do more work.   Xeneca was then given the opportunity to withdraw the ER for the Wanatango, and they complied.

ORA is opposed to this development for the reasons set out in our 3 November 2011 letter to the Ministry of Environment’s office.

Now Xeneca is close to completing their studies on the Wanatango and will soon issue the ER once again.

Aleta Karstad and her husband Frederick Schueler, of Fragile Inheritance http://www.fragileinheritance.org have travelled to Wanatango to study and paint, and hopefully draw attention to this beautiful set of falls that could be lost.

It is very timely that Aleta and Fred are on a junket to visit several rivers at risk over the next several weeks – so stay tuned for more of Aleta’s beautiful paintings on http://www.aletakarstad.com.


PRESS RELEASE: Ministry of Environment Rejects Hydro Developer’s Environmental Report – 3 Ontario Rivers are Safe for Now

3 May 2012

In March of this year Ontario Rivers Alliance (ORA) received notice with respect to its Part II Order request made on the hydroelectric proposal by Xeneca Power Development Inc. (Xeneca) for The Chute, on the Ivanhoe River.  The letter stated, “the Ministry of Environment’s (MOE) review has determined that the project was not planned in accordance with the OWA Class EA.”  “If Xeneca proceeds with the Project under the OWA Class EA, additional planning work will be required.”   Linda Heron, Chair of ORA stated, “We congratulate MOE on making this decision.  This is the right action, and demonstrates that the Minister’s office shares the public’s concern about the level of planning that went into this proposal, and is ensuring that the intent of the environmental assessment process is upheld.”

Heron reported, “We also recently received notices from MOE’s office that Xeneca has now voluntarily withdrawn their other two Notices of Completion issued for the Four Slide Falls and Wanatango Falls proposals.”  MOE’s responses to Xeneca on these two Notices of Completion were, “If Xeneca wishes to proceed with the Project, it must demonstrate that the Class EA planning process has been followed and is clearly traceable in the Project File.”

In 2011, Xeneca issued Environmental Reports and Notices of Completion for their “modified run-of-river” proposals at The Chute – Ivanhoe River; Four Slide Falls – Serpent River; and Wanatango Falls – Frederick House River, Hydroelectric GS.

ORA is concerned about the numerous negative environmental impacts associated with these “modified run-of-river” hydroelectric proposals, as well as the quality and content of the Environmental Reports submitted by the proponent, and made Part II Order requests to MOE to elevate all three of these proposals to an Individual Environmental Assessment, which is a more rigorous and thorough environmental assessment.

The serious potential impacts on water quality from these types of proposals could increase the prevalence of toxic Blue Green Algae in Ontario lakes and rivers where reports have already been on the rise with the advance of climate change.  There are over 2,000 potential waterpower sites identified throughout Ontario in the 2005 Hatch Acres Report.  Of those there are currently 87 hydroelectric dam proposals going through the approvals process, and an additional 50 MW of hydroelectric power has just been added as a result of the recent FIT Review.    These 87 proposals also represent billions of dollars’ worth of Crown assets that are being given away to private developers whose primary focus is on profits.

“We all want green energy, but let’s ensure it is not the “greenwashed” version that is threatening our source water, natural environment, aquatic species, recreational use, and property values.  Protection of water quality is essential to our public health and safety”, said Heron.

ORA is a Not-for-Profit grassroots organization with a focus on healthy river ecosystems all across Ontario.   ORA members represent numerous organizations such as the French River Delta Association, Vermilion River Stewardship, CPAWS-Ottawa Valley, Friends of Temagami, Paddle Canada, Whitewater Ontario, along with many other stewardships, associations, and private and First Nations citizens, who have come together to protect, conserve and restore healthy river ecosystems in Ontario.

Backgrounder:

2 March 2012 – MOE to ORA – The Chute, Ivanhoe River
9 March 2012 – MOE to Xeneca – The Chute, Ivanhoe River
9 September 2011 – ORA to MOE – Part II Order Request – The Chute, Ivanhoe River
19 April 2012 – MOE to ORA – Four Slide Falls, Serpent River
28 September 2011 – ORA to MOE – Part II Order request, Four Slide Falls
4 November 2011 – ORA to MOE – Part II Order request, Wanatango Falls, Frederick House River
Miscellaneous – Minutes & Correspondence

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 For more information contact Linda Heron, ORA Chair, at (705) 866-1677, or by email at LindaH@OntarioRiversAlliance.ca.

ORA Website:  www.OntarioRiversAlliance.ca


Ivanhoe River, The Chute Proposed Generating Station – Garcia-Wright, Director MOE, to P. Gillette, Xeneca – 2 March 2012


Xeneca Voluntarily Withdraws Wanatango Falls, Frederick House River Environmental Report

Backgrounder: