Meaford council has received an update on a preliminary Community Benefit Agreement in the works with TC Energy.
During a meeting on Dec. 12, council received a delegation from TC Energy Community Representative Clark Little. TC Energy has opened a community information centre, where they chat with residents about the project every Thursday.
The delegation follows a staff report received on July 25, which outlined preliminary discussions between CAO Rob Armstrong and TC Energy.
The report from July 25 says council had previously requested a report on the potential community benefits coming from the proposed pumped storage project at the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre.
Mayor Ross Kentner says no agreement has been reached as of yet, and there will be none for a considerable amount of time.
“We have never had major civil engineering work in the past that would give us an understanding of how the system works. It was just largely an exercise so that we were clear on how this would work and it also resulted in getting a commitment from TC Energy that when we reach the point of negotiating a Community Benefit Agreement, we will understand better how it works and what our concerns are,” says Kentner.
He says it won’t be until when the project is functioning around 2030 that the agreement would come into action.
Kentner adds the agreement would protect the community from many of the potential problems that would be created as a result of the proposed pumped storage project.
Some of the benefits include TC Energy making a yearly tax equity of $1.5 million, assisting with development related improvements including road improvements, work on a comprehensive transportation plan, and work with developers to provide interim housing for workers.
Kentner says while TC Energy is currently going through the environmental impact assessment process, at the end of January, the TC Energy application will move on to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).
He says IESO, a provincial body which delivers key services across the electricity sector, has to decide if it wants to purchase electricity from TC Energy from the proposed pumped storage project.
Kentner adds TC Energy is also still waiting on studies to either start or be finalized by the provincial environment department and fisheries department.
“Council’s position has always been that we need those reports, we need to understand that this is doable and safe and is something that is going to benefit the province and our community, and at that point, we want to negotiate an agreement. I know that TC Energy is anxious to have an agreement before they commit to the kinds of investment they would be making in the community. It is a bit of a balancing act and until we get these environmental reports done and have a clear idea of the impacts and feasibility of everything, this is ready to go but it won’t realize until the time comes,” says Kentner.