The Ontario government and Ontario Power Generation are investing $500,000 in growth readiness funding to St. Clair Township to take the next steps on new electricity generation, including potential natural gas and nuclear power, at OPG’s Lambton site.
The 1,200-acre site is already zoned to host up to 900 megawatts of new generation, enough to power up to 900,000 additional homes. The province said the site has access to transmission infrastructure, railway, port access and industrial land in one of Ontario’s fastest growing regions.
“As Ontario faces unprecedented economic attacks from President Trump, we are doubling down on made-in-Canada energy, with a plan to create 150,000 tariff-proof jobs,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “While the former government shuttered the coal-powered Lambton Generating Station with no plan to replace the jobs it created, our government is unveiling a plan to bring this site back to life. OPG’s Lambton site was once an important part of Ontario’s energy story, and with electricity demand growing, we are ensuring it can once again power our growth. While we face new U.S. tariffs, now is exactly the time to build with ambition, using Canadian energy built by Canadian workers, all while firing up the Canadian supply chain.”
The province said Ontario’s electricity demand is forecast to increase by as much as 90 per cent by 2050, driven by population growth, new housing, electrification, advanced manufacturing and the expansion of critical minerals supply chains.
The Lambton Generating Station, once one of Ontario’s largest coal plants, closed in 2013, taking jobs and economic activity away from St. Clair Township. The province said new energy generation at the site would deliver benefits for the region, including economic development, good-paying jobs, equity participation by Indigenous communities and additional host community funding.
“The potential for new energy generation at OPG’s Lambton site is exciting news for the Sarnia-Lambton region and a fitting use for a location that helped power the province for more than four decades,” said Bob Bailey, MPP for Sarnia-Lambton. “I look forward to the discussions with our local Indigenous partners, municipalities, and stakeholder groups as we develop the plan for this site and our energy and economic security in Ontario.”
The Council of St. Clair Township passed a motion endorsing continued engagement with OPG and the Ministry of Energy and Mines on the potential for new energy generation, including nuclear power, at the Lambton site. The announcement allows the municipality and OPG to sign a formal memorandum of understanding and advance work on the site.
“Thank you to the Honourable Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce, and the Doug Ford government of Ontario for this investment of the $500,000 growth readiness funding,” said Jeff Agar, Mayor of St. Clair Township. “This investment will help ensure St. Clair Township’s infrastructure is ready to support OPG’s efforts to bring the Lambton Generating Station site in Courtright back to life.”
Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, said “generational energy planning doesn’t just mean new builds — it also means using existing infrastructure to unlock the energy projects of the future, which is exactly what we’re doing at OPG’s historic Lambton site. By reviving a hub of Ontario’s electricity system, we’re bringing new opportunities to workers in the local community while attracting new investments, strengthening our economy, and unleashing the full potential of our world-class energy system.”
Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, said “Ontario’s $53 billion agri-food sector depends on reliable power, for family farms and greenhouses to food processing facilities. By advancing opportunities for new electricity generation in the face of trade disruptions and global uncertainty, our government is creating the conditions for the agri-food sector to grow, create jobs and ensure our communities can continue to count on food grown and made right here at home.”
Kevin R. Marriott, Warden of Lambton County, said “Lambton County welcomes this provincial investment and the opportunities it creates for local workers, businesses, and the regional economy. Our highly skilled workforce and strong industrial base have long supported major energy and industrial investments, and we look forward to learning more as the Province and its partners advance work at the Lambton site.”
OPG owns generating stations and properties across the province, three of which — Wesleyville in Port Hope, Nanticoke in Haldimand County, and Lambton in St. Clair Township — are already zoned for electricity generation, have access to transmission, and are located in growing regions with increasing energy needs. In February, OPG signed a partnership agreement with the Municipality of Port Hope to advance planning for a nuclear generating station at the Wesleyville site, and in July, the government announced Haldimand County would receive similar growth readiness funding to explore new generation at OPG’s Nanticoke site.
