On Thursday June 5th, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC) will meet to discuss Evolugen's application for the Marchurst Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Municipal Support Resolution (MSR). CAFES is urging citizens to give a 5-minute delegation in support of the City of Ottawa Council giving an MSR to Evolugen for the Marchurst proposed project.

CAFES has carefully looked at the concerns expressed by the anti-BESS residents, including safety and ecological concerns. We have studied the literature on the risks and benefits of the BESS technology. We have interrogated the Evolugen project proponent on a number of points requiring clarification. We have attended the February 23rd Open House. We have come to the conclusion that the Marchurst site selected by Evolugen is low impact locally with very low risks. At the same time, the benefits of BESS are considerable and numerous, both for residents of Dunrobin, for residents of West Carleton and for the households and businesses served by the grid in the greater Ottawa area.

If you wish to speak, register your request to make a delegation with the committee coordinator Christopher Zwierzchowski (christopher.zwierzchowski@ottawa.ca). Requests to speak must be submitted before 9:00am on the day of committee, and visual presentations must be submitted by 4pm on June 4th.

After the ARAC deliberation and recommendation, the MSR vote will go to City Council on June 11th for a vote. If you wish to support the BESS project, please consider writing to your own councillor before June 10th, urging them to vote in support of the Marchurst BESS MSR.

The CAFES Climate Misinformation team has prepared responses to common concerns and misinformation about BESS projects. These responses will enable you to counter BESS misinformation in a productive, research-backed manner. Check them out now!

Ever heard someone say that Canadian wildfires are no big deal, that natural gas exports reduce emissions, or even that more CO2 is good for the planet?

With a recent investigation by Canada's National Observer revealing that AI chatbots are being used to flood municipal councils with climate misinformation, countering these pervasive myths is more important than ever.

For CAFES, addressing climate misinformation is key to our work, and we've created several resources to empower you to respond to climate misinformation in your daily life.

The CAFES Climate Misinformation team has prepared a webpage to equip you with credible information debunking common myths surrounding climate science, renewable energy and batteries, transportation, and urban planning. We further provide resources to support you in advocating for meaningful climate action in municipal policy-making spaces.

In addition to the webpage, CAFES Executive Director Angela Keller-Herzog recently penned an op-ed in the West Carleton Online addressing misinformation surrounding the proposed South March Battery Energy Storage System in West Carleton. Check it out!

CAFES has long been active in advocating for a more enabling planning and zoning regime for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the City of Ottawa.

Most recently, CAFES delivered an impactful public delegation during the Planning and Housing Committee meeting on February 5th, 2025. You can watch the recording of the committee meeting here (CAFES starts presenting at 59:40) and check out our presentation below. We are concerned that the City’s permitting rules are too restrictive and this will prevent energy storage projects to come to Ottawa.

Prior to this, in October 2024, CAFES made a formal submission when the City made a proposal to amend the Official Plan and pass a Zoning By-law Amendment, and again submitted an alternative proposal when this came to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC) on January 23rd, 2025. Watch the ARAC committee recording here (CAFES starts at 1:49:30) and see our presentation at this link.

Our successful lunch and learn event at the Kanata North Technology Park on January 30th, entitled “Ottawa’s Electric Future”, was incredibly successful with about 100 residents, community leaders, not-for-profits, business leaders, tech people, engineers, Ottawa Hydro and City Councillors attending. The session was opened by Councillor Cathy Curry, speaking both as Kanata North Councillor and as acting Deputy Mayor. The launch of the Dunsky BESS Report was well received. You can read more about this event here.

Stay tuned for a full CAFES project report on our BESS advocacy work - coming in March 2025!

In September 2023, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). However, by December of the same year, concerns emerged among Ward 5 residents and Councillor Clarke Kelly due to perceived insufficient community consultation and worries about potential risks associated with large-scale lithium battery installations.

Acknowledging the need for open dialogue, Councillor Clarke Kelly partnered with CAFES to organize a community engagement workshop titled “Our Power Grid” on March 4, 2024, at the West Carleton Community Complex in Kinburn, Ontario. Nearly one hundred residents, encompassing both proponents and skeptics of BESS technology, packed the venue. They convened to explore topics ranging from Ontario’s energy needs to the intricacies of local grid projects.

The workshop featured expert presentations, a robust Q&A session, and breakout discussions aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of BESS technology and its implications for the community. CAFES documented the day’s proceedings in a detailed report and produced a short highlights video, available for viewing here.

The event underscored the importance of proactive and inclusive community engagement in shaping Ontario’s electricity landscape. Participants expressed a collective desire for enhanced information sharing during consultation processes to cultivate trust and transparency. Councillor Clarke Kelly deemed the workshop a resounding success, emphasizing its role in facilitating constructive dialogue and informed decision-making within the community.