Participant Funding Program – Regular Funding Envelope
Funding Review Committee's Report

Allocation of Federal Funds for the Environmental Assessment of the Keeyask Generation Project

The Participant Funding Program (PFP) is established pursuant to subsection 58(1.1) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (the Act), which states: For the purposes of this Act, the Minister shall establish a participant funding program to facilitate the participation of the public in comprehensive studies, mediations and assessments by review panels.

A Funding Review Committee (FRC) independent of the environmental assessment (EA) was established for the Keeyask Generation Project (the Project). The EA of the Project is being conducted by means of a comprehensive study (CS). The FRC's purpose was to assess funding applications received under the PFP – Regular Funding Envelope (RFE) for the proposed project, and to provide recommendations to the President of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) on whether funding should be provided, and if so, in what amount.

Under the RFE for this project, a total of $35,000 was made available to support public participation in the EA, linked to the:

• review of and comment on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); and
• review of and comment on the Comprehensive Study Report (CSR).

The deadline to submit an application was January 31, 2012. One application was received requesting a total of $7,200.

On February 2 and 14, 2012, the FRC met to review the application. The FRC members were Bruce Young, retired Director of Panel Management with the Agency, acting as Committee Chairperson; Jeff Gilmour, Environmental Assessment Consultant; and Larry Lechner, Environmental Assessment Consultant.

Background

The proponent is proposing to develop a hydroelectric generating facility and supporting infrastructure on the Nelson River in northern Manitoba. The proponent is a joint venture between Manitoba Hydro and four local Cree Nations partners (Tataskweyak Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation, York Factory First Nation and Fox Lake Cree Nation) to jointly plan and develop the Project.

The Project would consist of a 695 megawatt hydroelectric generating station at Gull Rapids on the lower Nelson River, immediately upstream of Stephens Lake in Northern Manitoba. The hydroelectric energy would be sold to Manitoba Hydro. The Project would be operated as part of the Manitoba Hydro's integrated system once constructed for use in Manitoba and for export. It is anticipated that the average annual production of electricity would be 4,400 gigawatt hours.

The proposed development would include: a powerhouse facility; a spillway; dams and dykes; a permanent access road on the south side of the Nelson River; and a reservoir with an area of approximately 93 square kilometres (km²) directly upstream of the generation station of which approximately 45 km² of land would be flooded. A transmission line would be developed, owned and operated by Manitoba Hydro to provide construction power to the project site. Three separate transmission lines are proposed to be built to transmit electricity from the Project to an existing converter station for use in Manitoba and export markets. Supporting infrastructure would include roads, borrow sources, a work camp, cofferdams, an ice boom and boat docking and launching facilities.

The Project would be constructed over an 8-year period. It is proposed that the Project would begin producing power about two years before construction is completed.

The Project is also subjected to a review under the Manitoba Environment Act.

Eligibility

Under the PFP – RFE, funding may be provided to support applicants' input to an EA with the federal government. These activities must be linked to the EA of a proposed project through a CS, mediation or review panel.

Eligible recipients must be able to demonstrate that they meet at least one of the following eligibility criteria:

• have a direct, local interest in the Project, such as living or owning property in the project area;
• have community knowledge or Aboriginal traditional knowledge relevant to the EA; or
• have expert information relevant to the anticipated environmental effects of the Project.

The applicant was deemed to have met the eligibility criteria.

Under the PFP – RFE, applicants can request funding for costs related to:

• professional fees;
• staff salaries and benefits;
• travel expenses;
• honoraria for Elders and Chiefs to attend meetings and functions;
• ceremonial offerings related to receiving traditional knowledge in relation to the EA;
• administrative and reporting costs;
• local collection and/or distribution of information;
• office supplies and telephone charges;
• rental of office space and meeting rooms;
• legal fees;
• general media advertising and/or promotion;
• purchase of information material, with supporting documentation; and
• other detailed expenses.

Rationale for Allocation

In reviewing the application and in reaching its conclusions and recommendations, the FRC took into consideration a number of factors including the following:

• the ability of the applicant to demonstrate that they had met one or more of the eligibility criteria listed above;
• the quality, clarity and content of the application and the applicant's proposed EA participation work plan; and
• the eligible activities under the PFP – RFE for the Project, which include reviewing and commenting on the EIS and the CSR.

Recommendation

The FRC recommends allocating $2,000 of the available RFE funding to support the Manitoba Wildlands.

The FRC further recommends that any funding allocation be conditional on a provision of written comments, by the applicant, to the Agency on the EIS.

Funding Review Committee
Keeyask Generation Project
Regular Funding Envelope

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Bruce Young, retired Director of Panel Management with the Agency

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Jeff Gilmour, Environmental Assessment Consultant

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Larry Lechner, Environmental Assessment Consultant

Recommended Participant Funding Allocation
Keeyask Generation Project
Regular Funding Envelope

Applicant	Total Allocation Amount Recommended
Manitoba Wildlands	$2,000
TOTAL	$2,000