Thompson to Finance Minister: begin property value study now
Lisa Thompson, MPP for the riding of Huron-Bruce | www.lisathompsonmpp.ca
Lisa Thompson, MPP for the riding of Huron-Bruce | www.lisathompsonmpp.ca
For Immediate Release October 4, 2012
(Queen’s Park)—Today, Lisa Thompson, MPP (Huron-Bruce) wrote to the Minister of Finance Dwight Duncan and asked him to immediately direct the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) to begin a third-party study into the property values of homes within a wind turbine zone.
After the London Free Press reported that another independent study has come forth from Ben Lansink of Lansink Appraisals and Consulting stating that homes within a wind turbine zone are selling for much less than market-value, Thompson appealed to Duncan to get moving on a study.
“I hear from families leaving within a close proximity to wind turbines who are very concerned about the value of their property,” said Thompson. “We have real proof that homes within a wind turbines zone are being sold for below market value, yet MPAC is still assessing these properties at their value before wind turbines were erected. It is wrong, and I call on the Minister of Finance and the McGuinty Liberals to immediately get MPAC to study this.”
Lansink, who’s been qualified as a real estate expert in court proceedings, analyzed properties in the Shelburne area, home to 133-turbine Melancthon Wind Facility. He found five homes that had been bought by the wind farm developer, Canadian Hydro Developments, a subsidiary of Calgary-based TransAlta, at fair market value. Canadian Hydro later put those houses back on the market and they sold for an average loss of 38%. One brought 58.5% less.
“This is not the first study of its kind,” said Thompson. “A study by the Brampton Real Estate Board found that buyers within a turbine zone were required to sign agreements acknowledging that the turbine facilities may affect the buyer’s living environment and the power company will not be responsible for or liable from any of the buyer’s complaints.”
“The Liberal government is playing with people’s future—what some considered their retirement nest egg,” said Thompson. “In the wake of yet another study, I implore the Finance Minister to direct MPAC to begin a property value study immediately.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/06/thompson-to-finance-minister-begin-property-value-study-now/