Environmental Assessment
Class EA for Transmission Facilities
As a new transmission line project, the Niagara Power Corridor will follow the Class Environmental Assessment for Transmission Facilities (Hydro One Networks Inc. (HONI), February 2024) process in accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The Class EA Process provides a framework for the assessment of the project and its potential natural, economic, social and cultural effects on the surrounding area and enables the proponent to determine measures to avoid or mitigate these effects. Based on the scale of the project and the developed nature of the alignment, it is anticipated that the project will be subject to the Class EA Screening assessment pathway.
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The Class EA Process also provides opportunities for the proponent to engage and provide information to any potentially interested stakeholder groups. The Class EA Process provides a robust method of addressing and responding to government and non-government stakeholders and affected Indigenous Communities.
Indigenous Consultation
The project team recognizes the importance of engaging with Indigenous communities that may be affected by or interested in the project as part of the Class EA. We intend to conduct meaningful and respectful consultations which honour the constitutional rights and interests of Indigenous peoples.
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Building Indigenous consultation is crucial not only to fulfill legal and regulatory requirements but also to foster positive, long-lasting relationships with Indigenous communities. By engaging in meaningful dialogue and collaboration, we can ensure that the voices and perspectives of Indigenous communities are genuinely heard and integrated into the project. This approach goes beyond mere compliance and aims to build trust, support reconciliation, and create partnerships that respect and uphold the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples. These efforts contribute to a more inclusive process that strengthens and sustains relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.
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As the project progresses through the pre-development stage, we are actively developing an Indigenous consultation plan. This plan will guide our efforts to collaborate with Indigenous communities that may be potentially impacted by the project. We are committed to working closely with these communities to understand and address their concerns, ensuring that their input is valued and incorporated into the decision-making process. Through this good faith approach, we aim to build strong, respectful partnerships that contribute to the project's success and support the well-being of the Indigenous communities involved.
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We believe that this consultation and collaboration makes for a better project, with contributions from the knowledge, perspectives and understanding of the engaged indigenous communities.
Land Acknowledgement
Red Jar Niagara Power Company acknowledges and affirms the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Since our proposed Transmission Line Project is situated in the Niagara Region, we acknowledge that this area is the traditional and Treaty Land territory of the Hatiwendaronk, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, whose presence in the region has been since time immemorial, long before Confederation.
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Today, many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit from across Turtle Island live and work in Niagara. To honor our obligations to these communities and uphold the spirit of the treaties, Red Jar Niagara Power Company commits to taking meaningful actions. We will respect the deep historical and cultural ties Indigenous Peoples have to this land, along with their unique knowledge of the natural environment. We deeply value their ongoing stewardship and recognize our shared responsibility to care for the land for future generations. Red Jar Niagara Power Company is committed to Reconciliation, acknowledging the harms of the past and working toward healing and building partnerships with Indigenous Peoples.