In 2015, the Joint Review Panel recommends approval but in 2016 and 2017 Environnment & Climate Change Minister McKenna delays decision asking OPG for more information.

Proposed Plan

APPROVAL TIMELINES2

April 2011 • OPG submission to the Joint Review Panel ("JRP" or the "Panel") of the Environmental Impact Statement and Preliminary Safety Report in support of OPG licensing application.

January 2012 • JRP appointed by the federal Minister of the Environment and the Governor in Council, in consultation with the President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

March 2012 • JRP led 6-month review period (not inclusive of time used by OPG to respond to Joint Review Panel requests) including conformity and technical review of the Environmental Impact Statement by the Joint Review Panel, public, Aboriginal groups and other stakeholders, and opportunities for public comments.

August 2012 • 6-month review period extended to unspecified end date.

May 2013 • End date of Environmental Impact Statement review period.

September 16, 2013 • JRP for the Environmental Assessment Public Hearing hears views about the Environmental Impact Statement and application for a site Licence to Construct the dump. Submissions will be heard from the public, Aboriginal groups, OPG and other stakeholders.

October 30, 2013 •Environmental Assessment Public Hearings end.

November 8, 2013 •Joint Review Panel requests additional information from Ontario Power Generation.

February 4, 2014 •Joint Review Panel requests additional information from Ontario Power Generation.

March 25, 2014 •JRP requests additional information from Ontario Power Generation and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to respond to issues raised in whistle blower report by former OPG scientist Dr. Greening and to address issues resulting from accident at WIPP nuclear waste repository in New Mexico. Joint Review Panel provides notice it plans to schedule additional hearing days.

September 9, 2014 •JRP schedules 2 additional weeks of hearings to hear views in relation to the subject of the information requests issued by the Panel since November 2013.

September 18, 2014 •Environmental Assessment Public Hearings end.

November 18, 2014 • The Joint Review Panel closes the public hearing public record and advises the Minister of the Environment and the President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission that, due to the volume and complexity of the information received, it is not feasible for the Panel to complete its report within 90 days of the close of the record as stipulated in the original Joint Review Panel Agreement Terms of Reference. The Panel will, however, complete its report within the timeline set out in the amended Joint Review Panel Agreement of August 2012.

The Panel will deliver its Report to the Minister of the Environment on or before May 6, 2015, which is 515 days following the coming into force of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (July 6, 2012). The 515 days does not include the time that was taken by the proponent to provide additional information as required by the Panel.

May 6, 2015 • The Joint Review Panel submits report to Minister of the Environment recommending that OPG proposed nuclear waste dump be approved. Minister of the Environment releases JRP report to the public. Within 120 days of receiving the Panel's report, the federal cabinet decides whether to approve the project or not.

June 3, 2015 • Extension of time limit for issuance of decision statement by Minister of the Environment to December 2, 2015

June 3 to September 1 2015 •The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency announces 90 day comment period inviting Aboriginal groups, members of the public and registered participants of the DGR review, to comment on the potential conditions related to possible mitigation measures and follow-up requirements that could be necessary, if the project is authorized to proceed.

November 27, 2015 • The Governor in Council, under subsection 54(4) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, has extended the time limit for the issuance of the Decision Statement for the proposed DGR project, by ninety days to March 1, 2016.

February 18, 2016 • Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change announces that "I am of the view that further information and/or studies are required before I make my environmental assessment decisions and issue my Decision Statement under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012) for the Project." Pursuant to subsection 47 (2) of CEAA 2012, Minister McKenna has required Ontario Power Generation to inform the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency no later than April 18, 2016 when OPG anticipates being in a position to submit the following requested studies and information: (i) undertake a study of technically and economically feasible alternate locations, (ii) an updated analysis of the cumulative environmental effects of the OPG DGR given that 3 communities located in the traditional territory of ther Saugeen Ojibway Nation are being considered by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization as potential host sites for a DGR for all of Canada's high level nuclear spent fuel waste, and (iii) an updated list of mitigation commitments for each identified adverse effect under CEAA 2012.

Approval Timelines

April 15, 2016 • Ontario Power Generation issues letter outlining proposal for additional information and studies to be provided to Minister McKenna by December 31, 2016.

September 7, 2016 • Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change responds to OPG April 15, 2016 proposed response plan and issues clarifications to the Minister's February 18, 2016 request. Minister McKenna also issues letter to Joint Review Panel (JRP) advising them that JRP will not be involved in reviewing the additional OPG information as it will be reviewed by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA)

December 12, 2016 • The Governor in Council, under subsection 54(4) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, has extended the time limit for the issuance of the Decision Statement for the proposed DGR project by 243 days.

December 28, 2016 • OPG submits report providing additional information to Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

January 18, 2017 • The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency invites the public, Indigenous groups and governments to review and comment on the additional information submitted by Ontario Power Generation. Comments received will be taken into consideration by the Agency in its analysis and technical review of the additional information. All comments received will be considered public. Written comments due by February 17, 2017

January 27, 2017 • The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency extends the deadline to submit public comments on the additional information submitted by Ontario Power Generation to March 6, 2017.

April 5, 2017 • The Agency informs Ontario Power Generation that taking into consideration the comments received on the additional information, the Agency requests further additional information from OPG.

May 26, 2017 • OPG provides further additional information to Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency requested on April 5, 2017.

June 26, 2017 • The Agency completes its review of the information provided by OPG since December 28, 2016. The Agency reviewed this information in light of the requirements outlined in the Minister's letter of February 18, 2016, the Agency's letter of September 7, 2016, as well as the Agency's letter of April 5, 2017 requesting additional information. The Agency has determined that the environmental assessment process for the Project can proceed to the next step.The Agency will now prepare a Draft Report on the additional information, as well as updating the potential environmental assessment conditions that will be required if the project proceeds. A public comment period on the Draft Report and potential conditions will be announced at a later date.

July 24, 2017 • The Saugeen Ojibway Nation wrote to the Minister that the communities are engaged in a community-driven decision process on whether they can support the DGR project; the process relates to a commitment made by OPG to SON that OPG would not move forward with the project until the Nation's communities are supportive of it.

August 21, 2017 •In light of OPG's commitment to SON and SON's letter of July 24, 2017, the Minister has issued a request for additional information to OPG to update its analysis of the potential cumulative effects of the project on physical and cultural heritage; the results of the SON's process must inform OPG's analysis and be incorporated in OPG's response. Following the submission of the updated cumulative effects analysis, the Agency will make available a draft report and potential conditions for comment by the public and indigenous groups. The Minister has indicated to SON that the Agency would appreciate receiving progress updates from SON every six months. The Minister advised SON that a decision would be made based on science and traditional knowledged, taking into account the Joint Review Panel Report and the report of the Agency on the additional information, incuding the views of Indigenous Peoples, the public and other stakeholders.

Unspecified date • Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency will issue draft report and lead additional public consultation process.

Unspecified date • The Minister of Environment and Climate Change decides whether to approve the project or not.

If the Minister of Environment and Climate Change proposes and the federal cabinet decides that the project may proceed, the Joint Review Panel could issue a Licence to Prepare Site and Construct an underground Nuclear Waste Dump beside the Great Lakes.