Dear Mr. Vance,
In your recent editorial, “After Four Long Years, We Might Know the Future for Contentious Pumped Storage Proposal Later This Month,” published on November 2, 2023, you rightly emphasize that Meaford residents expressed early and significant opposition to the project. That opposition only grows as we learn more about the project and the process under which it is being awarded.
In your editorial, you stated that Meaford’s council has the “least say in the matter”. This assertion is inaccurate. It is crucial to correct the record, given the influential role that local councils play in the project procurement process. Contrary to your statement, local municipalities, including Meaford, have the authority to declare their community a “willing host” for a proposed project. If a municipality does not provide this approval, the project cannot proceed. The 2009 Green Energy Act initially bypassed municipal regulations, but the Ford government later reinstated local government input in 2018, requiring new energy projects to seek approval from local city councils.
In essence, Meaford Council had the power to veto the proposed project but chose not to exercise it. The question arises: why?
Was the Council unaware that Premier Doug Ford had altered the rules to grant local communities the power to veto new energy projects? Save Georgian Bay and other concerned Meaford citizens communicated this information to them. Several municipalities across the province, such as the City of Thorold and Loyalist Township, have successfully utilized their veto power when projects did not align with community plans or citizens’ will.
Did Meaford Council mistakenly believe that the project’s location on Federal land negated their veto rights? Not so, according to both Mr. Rick Byers, MPP, and Hon. Todd Smith, Minister of Energy, who each confirmed in meetings with Save Georgian Bay that Meaford’s “willing host” status was pivotal for the project’s advancement, and that the project would not have moved forward should Council have voted no to the motion. Minister Smith expressed pride in the government’s commitment to empowering local communities to approve or reject projects within their boundaries.
Were Meaford’s council members influenced or misled by a powerful corporate entity and their political connections? During the February 27th, 2023 council meeting, members indicated that they believed the project would proceed regardless of their “willing host” declaration. Mayor Kentner, in particular, expressed concerns about a decision made at a higher level and suggested the likelihood of approval irrespective of Meaford’s stance.
According to Mayor Kentner, his impressions were formed during a meeting with Minister Smith at the January 2023 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference. The mayor conveyed that the minister urged approval of the motion and insinuated that Meaford should accept the pumped storage plant to secure potential community benefits.
In conclusion, it is imperative to clarify Meaford Council’s authority and the circumstances surrounding their decision on the Ontario Pumped Storage Project. The community deserves transparency and accurate information to understand the council’s role in this crucial matter.
Kellie Haslam, Save Georgian Bay
Editor’s Note: If the proposed location for the pumped storage facility were not a federally owned and controlled property, I would agree with you that this municipality would have had more say and control, but it is on federally owned land, which adds a layer of complexity, and strips Meaford of much of the little control and say it would have had. It is like pulling teeth for the Municipality of Meaford to be paid what it is owed every few years as Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) from the base; we certainly don’t have the sway unfortunately to tell the feds what to do with their property.
