Notice of Refusal: OPA/ZBA (PowerBank/Creasor) Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Energy Storage System
Notice of Refusal of Official Plan Amendment Application OPA-2025-01 (Amendment No. 4) and Zoning By-Law Amendment Application ZBA-2025-01, 219 Peggs Mountain Road (PowerBank/Creasor)
TAKE NOTICE that the Township of Armour on January 13, 2026 refused a request to amend the Official Plan pursuant to Section 17 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13. (“Planning Act”), and refused an application to amend the Zoning By-law pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act, with respect to the lands known as 219 Peggs Mountain Road, Lot 3, Concession 6 Armour, save and except Part 1 and 2, Plan 42R22137 and Parts 1, 2 and 3, Plan 42R22689; Township of Armour.
1. The amendments were submitted by PowerBank Corporation and David Creasor and processed under files: OPA-2025-01 (Amendment No. 4) and ZBA-2025-01. The purpose of the Official Plan Amendment application was to amend the Township of Armour Official Plan to permit a Battery Energy Storage System (“BESS”) as a permitted use in the Rural Community designation on the subject lands. The purpose of the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment was to amend the Township’s Zoning By-law to permit a Battery Energy Storage System (“BESS”) as a permitted use in the Rural zone on the subject lands.
2. A statutory public meeting was held on November 18, 2025 and Council considered 82 written and 13 oral submissions in making the decision. Two opposition submissions were petitions: one from No Lithium Way – Citizens United with 901 signatures, and one from Change.Org with 527 signatures. Please see “November 18, 2025 PowerBank BESS Public Meeting” at https://www.armourtownship.ca/agenda-and-minutes 21 additional oppositions were received after the meeting.
3. The applications were refused because Council determined that the proposal does not adequately address public safety and hazard management, emergency response planning, emergency services capacity, firefighter training, infrastructure, and inter-municipal and cross-boundary impacts. The application was absent of finalized emergency response planning, firefighter training, and stormwater management documentation.
4. Take notice that an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal in respect to all or part of the requested amendment to the Official Plan and/or Zoning By-law amendment application may be made by filing a notice of appeal with the Clerk either via the Ontario Land Tribunal e-file service (first-time users will need to register for a My Ontario Account) at olt.gov.on.ca/e-file-service by selecting Township of Armour as the Approval Authority or by mail to 56 Ontario Street, P.O. Box 533, Burk’s Falls, Ontario, P0A 1C0 no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 4, 2026. The filing of an appeal after 4:30 p.m., in person or electronically, will be deemed to have been received the next business day. The appeal fee of $1,100 can be paid online through e-file or by certified cheque/money order to the Minister of Finance, Province of Ontario. If you wish to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) or request a fee reduction for an appeal, forms are available from the OLT website at olt.gov.on.ca. If the e-file portal is down, you can submit your appeal to clerk@armourtownship.ca. Any appeal must be accompanied by a certified cheque/money order in the amount of $700.00 made payable to The Municipal Corporation of the Township of Armour.
5. Only specific stakeholders, including the applicant, the Minister, public bodies, a “specified person” (as defined under the Planning Act), and/or registered owner of any land to which the applications apply may appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). A notice of appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group. However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of a specified person or registered owner who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf.
No person or public body shall be added as a party to the Hearing of the appeal unless, before the By‑laws were passed, the person or public body made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the Council or, in the opinion of the Ontario Land Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.
More information is available for review at the Armour Township office during regular business hours or phone 705-382-3332. A copy of this Notice, email links, and additional information can also be found on the Armour Township website https://www.armourtownship.ca/proposed-battery-energy-storage-system-bess-in-armour-township
Dated at the Township of Armour, this 16th day of January, 2026.
Charlene Watt, Municipal Clerk
Township of Armour
56 Ontario Street, P.O.# Box 533, Burk’s Falls, ON P0A 1C0
