Background

The [[1]] is a natural gas fired electrical generating station proposed for Toronto's Waterfront near Cherry Beach. There is much communit opposition to the plant, and this page has been placed by one of the members of the resistance. He has invited proponents and supporters to edit the page.

It will be revealed to the proponents and supporters today so that they can edit the page before the next community meeting on the project on Tuesday April 12, 2005 at the [Thorton Centre] at 765 Queen St East Toronto.

Please leave this article so that people can work towards making it neutral. It's not our fault if the facts are so overwhelmingly against the proposal!

Chronology of events

The following is a chronology of events relating to the place known as 440 Unwin Avenue, Toronto and policy discussions on thermal electrical generation - the use of the site since 1951.

Pre-European settlement

• Up to about 1700, the place that 440 Unwin Ave is on was a much smaller sand bar that formed the southern edge of what came to be known as Ashbridges Bay at the mouth of the Don River. The bay and sand bars and islands were used as a special place by Native Canadians.

Creation of land

• European settlers began to use the bay as a dump for live stock carcases, sewage and other debris. By the early 1900's signifigant landfiling of the shore line of Toronto had occured. The Portlands area of the City was constructed to be used by industry early in the 20th century. Unwin Ave is one of many streets built to serve the new port area.

Site as power plant

• In 1951 The Hearn Generating Station was commissioned on the site as Canada's first 100 MW steam turbo-generator set. The station burned coal to power the growing city.

• In 1971 the plant was converted to use natural gas

Hearn Generating Station closes

• The plant was closed in the 1980's due to concerns about air pollution

• In June 1987, elected members of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party were pushing to have the Hearn re-opened as a natural gas power plant. [[2]]

• In 1988, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party were calling for scrubbers on the Hearn to stop contributing to acid rain in Toronto. [[3]]

Recent developments

• March 2000 - Toronto Waterfront Task Force released report entitled "Our Toronto Waterfront: Gateway to the New Canada"

• DATE ?? - The Hearn site was designated (along with all other exiting publicly owned electrical generating stations during deregulation by the Mike Harris and Ernie Eves led Ontario Progressive Conservative Party) as protected for future electricity development

• December 2001 – Bill Farlinger (Chair of OPG at the time) is appointed to serve on the board of the non-profit organization the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation by the Government of Ontario. Questions about the conflict of interest of Mr. Farlinger were raised but not resolved. His resignation was accepted in December 2003 by the incoming Liberal Government.

• Summer 2002 - Boralex and Toronto Hydro release Fact Sheets on "Cogeneration Facility in Toronto's Port Lands" to be located at 495 Commissioners Street, across the shipping chanel just north of the site for the PEC. The plant was planned to have an output of 180MW and provide enough steam to supply the Cascades Boxboard recycling facility. The project was shelved after the PEC was anounced. PEC representatives admit (at Nov. 17, 2004 public meeting) not approaching Cascades plant about buying steam from PEC.

• September 25, 2002 - Gerry Phillips, as an MPP for the opposition Ontario Liberal Party said in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario " I will use an example. I gather from media reports that Ontario Power Generation - OPG, as they call it—is looking to build some generating capacity on the water-front. Mr Bill Farlinger is the chair of OPG, but I gather that he is also a government representative on the board that we are going to make permanent here. We want people there representing the taxpayers of Ontario, the people of Ontario, who are not wearing another hat and who do not have a conflict. It is something that we certainly will raise when this bill gets to committee.”

• January 13, 2003 - Robert Fung, Chair of the Toronto Waterfront Revitilzation Corporation said, in an address to the Sustainability Roundtable: "The Business Strategy also includes $50 million for the development of an integrated energy strategy, which will be developed, in partnership with the City and other agencies"

• January 23, 2003 – Portlands Energy Centre hosts first community open house as part of legislated requirements for project. At the event, the proponents introduced the project as a 550 MW electrical co-generation station with capacity for steam to be used to provide heat. The plant was also advertised to have Canada’s largest solar power installation. Some community members raise many questions and outright oppose the process that the plant is proceeding through.

• February 2003 to September 2004 MOE + Proponents ignore citizens who have interest in project plans – a petition was circulated by Greg Bonser to raise awareness of the plant among constituents in Ward 30 and else where in Toronto. Almost 1000 people signed a petition that said: “We the undersigned demand: That all new energy projects on the waterfront be put on hold until a waterfront energy plan is written that focuses first on opportunities for energy conservation in new and existing neighbourhoods in Toronto, then looks at possibilities for utilising low impact renewable fuel sources (such as solar and wind) to generate needed power, and then explores the need to use polluting, unsustainable natural gas.” The petition was submitted to the proponent and to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) during the Environmental Review Report comment period. MOE staff called Bonser to clarify addresses to send correspondence to the petitioners. The petitioners were never notified of official decisions or added to a mailing list. The MOE stated in a September 1, 2004 letter: “Notification of the decision was sent to all elevation requesters. It is the ministry’s practice not to respond to each individual requester that submits his/her request as part of a petition. Rather, a response is sent to the individual that submits the petition.”

• February 4, 5 and 6 2003 Toronto City Council adopted a report that supported in principle the concept of Integrated Energy in the Central Waterfront. The Council asked the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation, in conjunction with the Waterfront Secretariat, impacted Departments, Agencies, Boards, and Commissions, and industry service providers, to report on the implications of implementation and financing issues and opportunities related to Integrated Energy.

• March, 2003 - Toronto Works Department released the Waterfront Scan & Environmental Improvement Strategy Study. The Scan provides a comprehensive overview and integration of environmental issues and opportunities related to Revitalization. The document was a took a number of years to complete and included a public consultation component that has yet to be implemented. The Scan contains a chapter on energy, which recommends designing a holistic, integrated energy and waste system.

• April 2003 – Provincial Government Speech from the Throne mentions Portlands Energy Centre: “Your government will ensure that Ontarians have a supply of power today, tomorrow and into the future. It will work with the private sector on the Portlands Energy Centre project…”

• May 7, 2003 – Portlands Energy Centre hosts second community open house as part of legislated requirements for project.

• Late spring – summer 2003 – a number of community meetings were held over the summer between the proponents and community members and their elected and appointed representatives. Some issues were clarified at these meetings, but the opposition of a number of residents, municipal departments and elected officials was not diminished or resolved.

• June 30, 2003 – PEC releases draft Environmental Review Report. Report describes plant as cogeneration with solar panels. On health, the report mentions …

• November 14, 2003 – PEC submits final Environmental Review Report to the MOE for consideration. . Report describes plant as cogeneration with solar panels. This starts the public comment period, where many residents, City Departments and agencies and elected representatives call for a “bump up” to a Full EA for the project.

• November 25, 2003- Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation hosts a public meeting. The meeting, according to the Corporation “included a full update on current and proposed activities and enhancements to the central waterfront over the next five years. “ The PEC, which was being considered by the Provincial Government as an “enhancement” to the waterfront was not mentioned in any prepared remarks of any Corporation speakers. It was brought up by a citizen during questions at the meeting.

• December 8, 2003 – Recently elected City Councillor Paula Fletcher writes to MOE to request a full EA.

• December 12, 2003- Member of Provincial Parliament Marilyn Churley writes to MOE to request a full EA.

• December 15, 2003 – City of Toronto Medical Officer of Health writes to MOE to request a full EA for PEC. She pointed out that the “background NO2 levels exceed the World Health Organization’s health based reference concentration by more than two-fold.” and that “this local airshed is already significantly burdened and results in an increased health risk from exposure to NO2 at present levels. Increasing contributions of NO2 to this airshed should be avoided whenever feasible.”

• July 16, 2004 – Director of the Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch of the Ministry of the Environment gives conditional approval to the PEC.

• July 21, 2004 – Toronto City Council asks Mayor David Miller to request a Full EA for the PEC.

• August 9, 2004 – The Toronto Star reports that Ontario Minister of Energy Dwight Duncan said "I can't protect consumers from the fact that natural gas is running out" as the Ministry of Energy is preparing requests for proposals for natural gas power plants and as MOE is considering applications for natural gas power plants.

• September 30, 2004 – Minister of the Environment upholds Director’s decision with additional conditions

• November 16, 2004 [Greg Allen] releases report called: The Portlands Energy Centre - Unnecessary and Unsustainable. It outlines a number of alternatives to the PEC.

• November 17, 2004 - Portlands Energy Centre hosted a Community Meeting about the Portlands Energy Centre to announce the changes (removal of cogeneration and solar panels) to the project to the community. This meeting was required to be a consultation with the community. The community overwhelmingly told the proponent that the changes were unacceptable. Marilyn Churley and Paula Fletcher arranged for the audio of the meeting to be recorded.

• December 14, 2004- Ontario Minister of Energy Dwight Duncan said “Mayor Miller has expressed concerns about the lack of cogeneration. It's the belief of this government that cogeneration and solar should be part of all projects going forward.”

• March 2005, MOE accepts PEC Report, and confirms that the project can proceed to issue a Statement of Completion without the cogeneration or solar panels.

• April 1, 2005 PEC issues Statement of Completion

• April 5, 2005 – Community meeting about PEC attracts standing room only crown to the Ralph Thorton Centre. Residents almost unanimously show that they do not want the plant to move forward.