An association of Anishinaabeg chiefs is urging the federal government to ensure meaningful consultation before pushing ahead with the Darlington New Nuclear Project under Ottawa’s new fast-track review system.
The Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg Chiefs — representing the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, as well as Alderville, Hiawatha, and Curve Lake First Nations — warned that Ottawa must treat them as full partners and rights-holders before advancing what Prime Minister Mark Carney calls “nation-building” projects.
“It is crucial that the Major Projects Office and the federal government refrain from accelerating processes … without comprehensive consultation,” the chiefs said. They stressed that while their nations support sustainable energy solutions, these projects must respect their lands, treaty rights, and role as stewards of their traditional territories.
The Michi Saagiig Nation is already in good-faith talks with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) on economic and regulatory aspects of the project. Their economic development arm, Voyageur Services, has secured multiple major contracts, including site preparation work for the small modular reactor, a water treatment project, and dredging at the Pickering plant.
Carney’s newly launched Major Projects Office is designed to cut approval times for strategic projects to two years or less, promising a “one project, one review” approach. Darlington’s small modular reactor (SMR) project is one of five projects designated for acceleration this week. Once complete, its first of four SMR units will generate clean power for 300,000 homes, sustain 3,700 jobs annually, and contribute $500 million to Ontario’s nuclear supply chain each year.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty and Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty both promised Indigenous communities would benefit directly from these projects, through jobs, ownership opportunities, and revenue sharing. Ottawa has also pledged $40 million over two years to support Indigenous engagement on major projects.