Save Georgian Bay is inviting residents, families, cottagers, and visitors from across the region to attend Voices for the Bay, a community music festival and fundraiser taking place on Saturday, August 29 at the Collingwood Brewery Beer Garden.
The event will feature live music, Indigenous drumming, food trucks, craft beer, and community engagement activities, all in support of efforts to protect the ecological health of Georgian Bay and promote informed public participation in decisions that could affect the region’s future.
“The fundraiser comes at a significant time in the ongoing review of TC Energy’s proposed Ontario Pumped Storage Project in Meaford. A recently released Department of National Defence (DND) Federal Authority Advice Record identifies a number of issues requiring further assessment before federal decision-makers can determine whether the project can be accommodated on the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre lands. DND states that it does not currently have sufficient project information to complete several of its assessments and has identified concerns related to human health, drinking water, military operations, environmental protection, emergency preparedness, contaminated soils, and potential effects on species at risk,” said organizers.
“The release of the DND advice record confirms that important questions remain unanswered,” said Tom Buck, founder of Save Georgian Bay. “The requirement for a full federal impact assessment reflects the seriousness of the concerns that residents, scientists, and community organizations have raised for years. Voices for the Bay is an opportunity for the community to come together, celebrate what makes Georgian Bay special, and support ongoing efforts to ensure these issues receive the attention they deserve.”
Among the issues raised by DND are potential impacts on drinking water quality, air quality, noise and vibration, risks associated with accidents or malfunctions, impacts to species at risk and wetlands, and the challenges associated with historical contamination and unexploded ordnance on military lands. DND also notes that the project’s compatibility with military operations remains under review.
Save Georgian Bay believes the public has an important role to play in ensuring that environmental, economic, and community impacts are fully understood before any final decisions are made.
Event Details:
Voices for the Bay Music Festival & Fundraiser
Date: Saturday, August 29
Location: Collingwood Brewery Beer Garden
Time: gates open at 4 p.m.
Tickets are available at the gate, with group discounts available.
For ticket information and details, visit: www.savegeorgianbay.ca
