Throughout the project evaluation process, Onimiki Renewable Energy listens to the issues and concerns expressed by the public and organizations.
These issues and concerns are grouped together in these tables, which are updated regularly:
- Issues and concerns of the public and organizations;
- First Nations issues and concerns.
Updated: November 9, 2025
Concerns of the public and organizations
| THEME | ISSUES AND CONCERNS |
| Project | – Compatibility of the project with the mission of Parc national d’Opémican (Opémican National Park) – Current Onimiki project and past projects (previous version of the Onimiki project, Hydro-Québec’s Tabaret project) – Development and use of access roads – Energy contract with Hydro-Québec (negotiations, sale price, call for tenders, commercial framework) – Justification and alternatives to the project (other energy sources, other potential sites) – Lifespan of facilities and equipment – Modernization and safety of the Kipawa dam – Project schedule – Relevance of the Onimiki South power plant – Route of underground supply lines (Route 101 and City of Témiscaming) |
| Environment | – Bank erosion (Lake Témiscamingue, Lake Thiriot, Lake Nadeau) – Biodiversity and integrity of Opémican National Park – Climate change – Ecological flow and water level variation in watercourses (Kipawa River, Gordon Creek, Tee Lake, Moulin Lake, Kipawa Lake) – Fish, habitats, spawning grounds, and compliance with existing agreements (lake trout, lake whitefish, and other species) – Ice cover – Impact of the creation of a new outlet at Lake Kipawa – Rock composition, contamination risks, and development of landfill sites – Tidal periods – Wildlife – Wetlands – Water quality of water bodies (Lake Kipawa, Lake Témiscamingue, Lake Thiriot, Lake Nadeau, Lost Creek, unnamed creek, Gordon Creek) – Water quality of Lac aux Brochets due to the presence of heavy metals from past industrial activities – Water temperature (Kipawa River, Lake Kipawa) |
| Information, consultation, and regulatory process | – Accessibility to public consultations (French and English; virtual and in-person; meeting locations; promotion of meetings) – Accessibility and availability of documents in French and English – Assessment of social acceptability and level of impact deemed acceptable by partners for project implementation – Authorizations and permits – Dissemination of environmental study results – Follow-up on issues and concerns raised – Influence of public consultations on the project evaluation and development process – Models and methods used to conduct environmental inventories – Possibility of carrying out the project under current laws, including the Loi sur les parcs (Parks Act) – Project assessment by relevant department – Public participation in the regulatory process (BAPE hearings) – Targeted consultation with residents living near the planned infrastructure – Transparency |
| Recreational tourism | – Aesthetic flow for Gordon Creek in the City of Témiscamingue – Aesthetic flow in the Kipawa River and for the Grande Chute – Community flow and impact on whitewater activities in the Kipawa River – – Effects on fishing (mouth of the Kipawa River, Kipawa Lake, Lake Témiscamingue near the Onimiki North power station, Lake Thiriot, Lake Nadeau, Gordon Creek outlet) – Effects on visitors and the development of Opémican National Park – Témiscaming Marina near the Onimiki South power station – Tourist development of power station sites – Tourist traffic in Témiscamingue – Water activities |
| Cohabitation | – Heritage sites near the Onimiki South power plant- Noise environment (mitigation measures) – Maintaining water flow for other uses (RYAM plant and drinking water supply for the City of Témiscaming) – Property values – Quality of life for residents (residents of Lake Kipawa and the Kipawa River, Témiscaming (Pointe McMartin – Onimiki North sector; Onimiki South sector)) – Visual integration |
| Economic benefits | – Access to contracts for local businesses and developer support – Construction costs in the current economic climate (inflation and material costs) – Expected revenues and use by partners – Maintenance of facilities – Reuse of rock extracted during the excavation of access tunnels for other projects – Royalties for the City of Témiscaming – Use of electricity generated for local purposes |
| Construction | – Access roads – Accommodation – Communications – Dust – Noise environment – Vibrations affecting nearby residences (traffic, excavation, blasting) |
| Safety | – Access to facilities and roads – Flood management (flood risk prevention) – Safety around planned facilities |
| Governance and project funding | – Community energy model – Debt and project financing by partners – Financial capacity of partners – Project partners and their role |
| First Nations | – Impact on traditional activities – Position of First Nations regarding the project – Reasons for their involvement |
First Nations concerns
| THEME | ISSUES AND CONCERNS |
| Project | – Contractual agreement with Hydro-Québec – Current Onimiki project and past projects (previous version of the Onimiki project, Hydro-Québec’s Tabaret project) – Impact in the event of a power plant outage – Reuse of the former Kipawa power plant building for the Onimiki South power plant |
| Land use | – Connectivity between Thiriot and Nadeau lakes – Creation of a third outlet at Kipawa Lake – Fishing – Harmonious development of ancestral lands – Use of Kipawa Lake (fish, water level, ice cover) |
| Environment | – Fish – Flow on the Kipawa River (aesthetics, biological diversity, whitewater activities) – Increased flow at the new outlet (Thiriot and Nadeau lakes) – Impacts on the Kipawa River and Kipawa Lake (wildlife, water level, banks, erosion) |
| Information, consultation, and regulatory process | – Accessibility of documentation in English – Communication of the results of the environmental impact study – Consultations to be held outside certain periods (moose hunting season, community activities) – Consultation with the community during all phases of the project – Consultation with youth – Environmental inventories – Project analysis and authorization process by the Quebec government |
| Construction | – Communication with residents during the construction period – Duration of construction and schedule – Selection of storage sites for excavated rock – Vibration caused by blasting required for the construction of the intake tunnel |
| Cohabitation | – Maintenance of water flow rates for other uses (RYAM plant and drinking water supply for the City of Témiscaming) – Témiscaming Marina |
| Economic impact and project financing | – Economic benefits for First Nations involved in construction – Financial support from Hydro-Québec and the Government of Québec – Project financing and environmental studies – Projected revenues for First Nations involved – Training opportunities to meet labor needs |
| Governance | – Governance in the event of withdrawal by one of the partners – Involvement of the Mashteuiatsh community |