Owen Sound Applauds Provincial Investment in Ontario Pumped Storage Project 

The City of Owen Sound congratulates TC Energy on the recent announcement of provincial investment to advance the next phase of the Ontario Pumped Storage Project.

On Friday, the Ontario government announced a $285 million investment in pre-development work for the proposed clean energy project to be constructed on unused land at the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre located between Owen Sound and Meaford. 

In addition to the economic, environmental, and societal benefits, the Ontario Pumped Storage Project is also expected to create more than 1,700 well-paid, unionized jobs for our region. 

Last April, the City of Owen Sound passed a motion to demonstrate conditional support for the proposed project, subject to the completion of all assessments, consultation and approval by Saugeen Ojibway Nation. The provincial investment will support the completion of this pre-development work. 

Owen Sound is committed to growing as a regional hub for clean energy innovation. This project will complement advancements in clean hydrogen applications by Hydrogen Optimized, located within the city, as well as planned expansions at Bruce Power. Owen Sound is a founding member of the Southwestern Ontario Isotope Coalition, supporting Canada’s medical isotope production, education, and research.

For more information, please contact Tim Simmonds, City Manager at 519-376-4440 ext. 1210 or email tsimmonds@owensound.ca.

Quotes:

“The Ontario Pumped Storage project, pending approval by Saugeen Ojibway Nation, will be an important step towards indigenous economic reconciliation. This initiative will advance our path toward reducing our carbon footprint and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and will help strengthen the economy of Grey County and the entire Clean Energy Frontier. Congratulations on achieving this important project milestone.” – Mayor Ian Boddy

Quick Facts:

• TC Energy is proposing to develop an energy storage facility that would provide 1,000 megawatts of flexible, reliable energy to Ontario’s electricity system using a process known as pumped storage. Water is pumped to a higher elevation reservoir during periods of low energy demand, then released to generate electricity during high demand.
• The Ontario Pumped Storage Project has been re-designed to enhance protections for Georgian Bay based on feedback from stakeholders and in consultation with Saugeen Ojibway Nation.
• According to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator, the province’s demand for electricity is forecast to increase by 75 per cent by 2050, the equivalent of adding four and a half cities the size of Toronto to the grid.

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