Editor,
For years now several contributors, myself included, have tried to reveal the consequences of allowing TC Energy to build their Pumped Storage Project on our DND lands (on our escarpment). We have not attacked or tried to embarrass those who showed support for the project: we just tried to advance more facts. Unlike the actions of our esteemed TCE corporation we have not tried to SELL anything to our Meaford residents: I have never intentionally bent or presented “fake news” and inaccurate arguments. Corporations (TCE certainly included) on the other hand operate from a position of win at all costs and have proven that this project will advance come hell or high water.
This project will be massively destructive to any of the areas where the “build” takes place, Picture this, step back and take a look:
– Blasting a massive collecting lake on top of our escarpment: this is very hard Dolomite rock not earth and soil. Every inch of this 375 acre 20 feet deep reservoir needs to be blasted out using TNT.
– Installing intake ports in active fish zones
– Building massive spillways along the Georgian Bay shore to discharge water equivalent to the St. Mary’s River that joins Lake Superior to Lake Huron. EVERY Day!
– Tunnel? under Georgian Bay (Nottawasaga Bay) to Wasaga Beach.
– Tunnel or build high power transmission lines from the beaches of Wasaga to the Stayner Transformer station and then on to the Essa station.
Cost of all of this is, TCE’s estimate of $6-$7 billion dollars. Having experienced TCE’s estimates on other projects in Canada my estimate would be easily over $10 billion and likely $12 billion.
This is NOT a “Green” project: the amount of CO2 and other pollutants ejected over their 7+years construction period will negate any Green advantage.
They plan to use excess electricity at night when rates are low and bla, bla, bla…there will be no cheap excess electricity generated at night in 10 years: it and more will be used for charging the population of electric vehicles. It should end here but:
The last point I need to mention: TCE’s representatives, as expected from this corporation have lied from the start. At a coffee chat back in 2021 (maybe 2022?) answered a 10 billion-dollar question I asked: “Who will pay for this project: taxpayers or TCE? They answered emphatically that “taxpayers and government would not be contributing to the costs. We get our funds from the banks and other institutions that support industrial projects such as this” (this quote may not be exact, but it is essentially what they told me). Our provincial government just “signed a cheque” for $285 million to cover “pre-construction costs” DAMN! As I have pointed out in the past TCE does not care: about ethics, fair negotiations, truth or facts when dealing with this project. They will try to win at all costs: Period. The false claims persist regarding job creation numbers and costs.
Our Meaford council should look in a mirror and wake up: for them to back this project is an insult to the people of Meaford that they are employed to protect. What in hell were you thinking to allow any corporation to mess with what makes this municipality great?
Pat Maloney, Meaford
