Dennis you mention in your post that there was no mention of the grid being expanded to the north ..in the budget. It's been going on for some time.

Dennis to update you: Here is some reading for you:

There are two companies with proposals : they are sagatay & wataypower

"The proposed project consists of a 230 kV high voltage transmission line to Pickle Lake in Northwestern Ontario.

The project would supply remote First Nation communites currently on diesel power in addition to industry needs such as the highly touted Ring of Fired developments. The Ontario government identified supply to Pickle Lake as a priority transmission project."

I've given you links to read below. On May 29, 2013, Wild lands league submitted a letter to the Ministry of Environment stating that the Sagatay proposal is the best when considering the wildlife. One of these companies will be putting this transmission line in.

From Sagatay's website:

Project

The proposed project would consist of a 300 km transmission line to Pickle Lake in northwestern Ontario utilizing the Highway 599 corridor. Supply of additional power to Pickle Lake was identified as a high priority in the Ontario government’s Long-Term Energy Plan released on November 23, 2010.

---

Utilizing the Highway 599 route is the best alternative for providing additional power to Pickle Lake because:

1. It is the only route that is supported by the First Nation communities along that corridor – the Ojibway Nation of Saugeen First Nation and the Mishkeegogamang First Nation.

2. The northern terminus of any transmission line to Pickle Lake falls within the Far North of Ontario and is subject to The Far North Act, 2010. Specifically, the area that incorporates the municipality of Pickle Lake is within the community land use planning area of the Mishkeegogamang and Eabametoong First Nations. The construction of any transmission line must be incorporated into the community land use plan or be supported by the local First Nations.

3. It is consistent with long-standing provincial policy guidelines related to the use of existing right-of-ways where possible.

4. It is the best alternative in the context of Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, 2007. In particular, any transmission line to Pickle Lake crosses through the boreal forest and the habitat of boreal population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), a protected species under the Endangered Species Act. Linear features (roads, transmission lines) have been shown to have significant negative effects on woodland caribou and utilizing the existing Highway 599 corridor, to the extent possible, is the best alternative in this context.

5. Utilizing the existing corridor will minimize the need for construction and maintenance roads thereby reducing the costs of the project.

6. It is the shortest route.

http://www.sagatay.com/

http://www.wataypower.ca/node/186

http://www.wildlandsleague.org/attachments/WL_letter_LZappone_MOE-W-power%20ToR.pdf