By Mike Anderson
The Impact Assessment Association of Canada (IAAC) says the proposed Georgina Island Fixed Link, a 2.6 km-long combination of bridges and causeways linking Georgina Island to the mainland, does not require a federal impact assessment.
The IAAC decision, announced on January 8, allows the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation (GIFN) to proceed with authorizations and permits to begin construction. However, no firm construction start date has been confirmed by GIFN or WSP Canada Inc. (WSP), the engineering consulting firm hired by GIFN to design the Fixed Link and conduct the project’s environmental impact assessment studies.
According to the IAAC decision, any adverse effects, including impacts to fish and wildlife, can be addressed through existing legislation.
“IAAC is of the view that the potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction, or the direct or incidental adverse effects, from the project would be limited or addressed through existing federal, provincial and municipal legislative and regulatory frameworks. As a result, IAAC decided that no further assessment under the IAA is required for the project,” the notice of early decision reads.
Lake Simcoe South Shore Residents Association (LSSSRA) President Lee Simpson disagrees with IAAC’s decision.
LSSSRA, concerned about the veracity of WSP’s environmental studies and the lack of serious consideration for an icebreaker ferry option, had requested that the federal and Ontario governments undertake a joint environmental impact assessment of the project.
“We are disappointed but not surprised that the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada did not agree that a project of this size and scope should require a full impact assessment,” Simpson told the Post.
“We can only hope that as this proposed project proceeds to the permitting and detailed design stage, the federal and provincial ministries become fully engaged and do not continue to abdicate their responsibilities.”
The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition (RSLC), which also called for a federal impact assessment, is also worried about the project’s impact on the lake’s ecology.
“The federal decision serves as a reminder that as infrastructure and growth continue across the Lake Simcoe watershed, federal and provincial governments must strengthen their efforts to protect the lake itself,” Jonathan Scott, RLSC’s Executive Director, said.
The Georgina Island Fixed Link is the largest infrastructure project ever proposed for Lake Simcoe, and its construction will require GIFN to take on significant debt to finance it.
According to WSP, the estimated cost (with less than 25% of the design work completed) is $450 million, with annual maintenance costs between $10 million and $20 million.
During a previous virtual online information session, held on Dec 11, 2024, GIFL Project Manager Mike Jacobs said the project team is confident that a “viable” financing package can be developed, with a mix of federal support, loans and revenue streams, which could include a toll for non-members visiting the island – band members would be exempt.
While a specific federal contribution has not been finalized, Jacobs expects the federal government to take a significant stake in the project.
“The community plans to hold the federal government accountable for their fiduciary duties and secure their participation in the funding,” Jacobs said.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) could be a major source of federal funding for the project.
In 2025, the CIB’s Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII), which provides low-cost, long-term loans to First Nations, financed eight new Indigenous infrastructure projects; the largest was $66.7 million to the Malahat Nation and Cowichan Tribes for water/wastewater works and housing-enabling works.
GIFN has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CIB, and the bank has provided $2 million in loans to fund the early stages of the project, including the environmental impact assessment studies.
“The CIB committed $2 million in the accelerator funding MOU and continues to work with the Chippewas of Georgina Island on next steps in relation to the business case and financing of the bridge,” said CIB’s Media Relations Manager Ross Marowits in an email to the Post.
However, according to the CIB website, under ICII, loan amounts to First Nations are capped at $100 million, and must include Indigenous community capital of at least 20 per cent.
If the full $100 million is approved, such a loan would represent the largest debt financing for an Indigenous infrastructure project since CIB launched ICII in 2021. It would also leave a significant shortfall, which would have to be raised by other means, including direct federal funding.
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