The Ontario government says it intends to work in partnership with two First Nations to expand hydroelectric generation in the province.

“For more than a century, nearly a quarter of Ontario’s power has come from clean hydroelectric energy,” said Energy Minister Stephen Lecce. “As energy demand rises in Ontario, especially in the North, our government is taking action by supporting early development work for the provinces first expansion of large-scale hydroelectricity in decades.”

The government says Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN) and Moose Cree First Nation (MCFN) will lead co-planning, working alongside Ontario Power Generation (OPG). The goal is to explore and advance opportunities for two new hydroelectric generation stations which, if approved, could produce up to 430 megawatts (MW) of affordable, reliable, and clean electricity – enough to power 430,000 homes.

This includes the proposed Nine Mile Rapids Generating Station, which could generate about 256 MW of electricity, and the proposed Grand Rapids Generating Station, which could generate about 174 MW of electricity.

The work, which would represent the first net-new hydroelectric stations in Ontario in 10 years, is an important part of the province’s plan to meet the growing demand for electricity in Northern Ontario, which according to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), is forecasted to increase by 81 percent by 2050.

“This co-planning process represents a new approach—one that puts First Nations in the driver’s seat from the beginning,” said Chief Bruce Archibald of Taykwa Tagamou Nation. “True economic reconciliation means that we are not just participating in development. We’re shaping it, on our terms, for the benefit of our communities while supporting the province’s work to meet rising demand for electricity.”

To support early exploration and development, TTN and MCFN have signed letters of intent with OPG as all parties work together on preliminary planning activities, including field studies, to inform a community-led decision-making process on hydroelectric development.

“Moose Cree First Nation supports our work with Taykwa Tagamou Nation and the Co-Planning Committee to explore potential future water-power development within the Moose River Basin,” said Chief Peter Wesley. “This collaborative effort aims to meet the power needs of Ontario while respecting the interests of both communities and building upon our partnership with OPG on the Lower Mattagami River Project. We will develop a streamlined process for hydro development, ensuring environmental impacts are evaluated and understood by our community members in addition to the benefits these projects will bring in terms of jobs and long-term revenue.”

Ontario’s North is a region of importance to the province and to Canada, with electricity demand rising, in part due to increasing mining and responsible resource development in the North. The province says it is critical for Ontario to increase localized electricity generation for the North to power current and future economic growth.

New large-scale hydroelectric generating stations would build on existing investments by the province and OPG to refurbish and expand existing hydro stations in Northern Ontario, Niagara Region, Cornwall and Eastern Ontario.

With an investment of $4.7 billion, the refurbishments and expansion of the existing stations will secure more than 5,000 megawatts of clean electricity and support over 2,000 jobs, with more expected from two new potential stations.