Wind Power News: Canada
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Wind turbines and common sense
Rules of civilized neighborhood are not a question of borders but of common sense. In fact, it is precisely the principle by which the AQPER (Association québécoise de la production d’énergie renouvelable), a group heavily in support of renewed energy in Quebec, has voiced its opposition to the project targeting the installation of industrial wind turbines at the Quebec border with Vermont. The AQPER, usually an avid promoter of wind turbines, has stated in an open letter addressed to the . . .
Plan for wind turbines in Vermont creates international furor
The winds blowing through Canada’s broad St. Lawrence Valley and across Vermont’s hilltops are stirring up an international tempest over which country’s laws should govern how those breezes are harnessed for electricity. Some residents of the Quebec town of Stanstead are upset about plans in Vermont to erect just south of the border two industrial-size wind turbines _ one of which would be about 1,000 feet from a few Canadian and Vermont homes. Quebec requires wind turbines to be at . . .
Rally declares ‘It’s now or never’ to stop wind turbine development
The battle against government-enabled Industrial Wind Turbine projects has been stepped up in Prince Edward County. Members and friends of the County Coalition for Safe and Appropriate Green Energy (CCSAGE) believe “It’s now or never” as the projects threaten to destroy the County’s naturally green environment. “A real white pine does not kill birds. A real white pine does not cause illness, raise Ontario’s electricity rates, destroy tourism or reduce property values”, is the campaign mantra, said Duncan Fischer of . . .
Wind turbines don’t belong near airport: Wilson
Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson on Monday, May 14 criticized the provincial government for the fact it is considering allowing wind turbines near the Collingwood Regional Airport, saying such a development would create obstacles that endanger pilots using the runway. Wilson went toe-to-toe with Energy Minister Chris Bentley during Question Period in the Ontario Legislature. “Why is this government even entertaining a project that would compromise the safety of the Collingwood Regional Airport?” Wilson asked. The project in question is WPD . . .
Municipality wants province to pay part of failed court challenge
Grey Highlands wants the provincial government to pay part of the cost of a failed court challenge. A court awarded Plateau Wind Incorporated $20,000 in court costs after a Grey Highlands appeal of an Ontario Energy Board ruling on Feb. 23 in connection with power lines to wind turbines. Three Divisional Court judges turned down the municipality’s appeal of an Ontario Energy Board’s decision that upheld the right of Plateau Wind and its parent company International Power Corporation to run . . .
Kings County says no to wind farms
KENTVILLE — Large-scale wind farms will be unwelcome in any part of Kings County, at least in the immediate future. Municipal council on Tuesday night gave first reading to a recommendation from its planning advisory committee to prohibit all major wind projects while it reviews issues around the controversial developments. The move comes in response to strong public opposition to proposed large-scale wind farms in the Greenfield area on the South Mountain and a large swath of land from Arlington . . .
Meaford urged to take strong stance on wind turbines
Meaford must take a clear position on wind turbines, preferably against them, Deputy-mayor Harley Greenfield says. Greenfield urged council Monday to decide soon to either accept the increasingly controversial industrial wind turbines or clearly oppose and even obstruct them. It’s a discussion council should have had two years ago and a decision is needed soon to be fair to both local citizens and potential wind developers, Greenfield said in an interview Tuesday. He is considering now how best to frame . . .
Armow wind project opponent applauded by councillors
Armow resident Ashley Duncan received applause and a standing ovation from some councillors following her delegation on the Armow wind development on May 9. Duncan, who said the majority of landowners within the Armow project parameters are not in favour of wind development, asked that councillors raise the building and entrance permit fees for industrial developers. Duncan said currently Kincardine charged a Enbridge a building permit fee of $2,500 per turbine, compared to the $35,000 Grey Highlands charges. “There is . . .
UCCMM membership kept in the dark on wind farm deal, writer says
On February 21 and 23, 2012 respectively, I had sent the UCCMM Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Hazel Recollet, and the UCCMM Board Chair, Mnidoo Mnising Power Corporation (MMPC) President and Whitefish River First Nation Chief Franklin Paibomsai, an email questioning them on the creation of the Mnidoo Mnising Power Corporation (MMP) and their 50/50 partnership agreement with Northland Power Incorporated (NPI). As some may know, both groups are partners in a project that plans to sell wind power energy to . . .
Residents skeptical of input at Leader turbine open house
There was an air of resignation amongst members of the public who attended the open house for the Q1WEC (Quixote) Wind Farm Project on May 8. The project calls for a single, 500-foot 2.5MW wind turbine southeast of the beach hamlet of Inverhuron. The project received Feed-In Tariff approval by the provincial government last summer and is expected to begin construction in late 2012 or early 2013. The single turbine will be situated about 950-metres southwest of the junction of . . .
