July 7, 2015
Ontario

Meaford delays joining wind group

By Claire McCormack | Bayshore Broadcasting | July 5, 2015 | www.bayshorebroadcasting.ca

Meaford will defer discussion on whether to join the Multi Municipal Wind Turbine Work Group until July, and possibly until September budget discussions.

The Work Group has asked Meaford to join their committee which is made up of elected representatives from 15 Municipalities.

Councillor Harley Greenfield suggested Meaford appoint a member to this committee.

It would cost $700 dollars for a yearly membership fee.

It includes representatives from Bruce, Dufferin, Grey, Huron, Perth, and Wellington Counties meet monthly.

These municipalities are opposed to the use of wind turbines, referring to themselves as “unwilling hosts,” and say the Ontario Power Authority plans to add more.

Greenfield says it would be beneficial to learn from Group members about noise by-laws, road use agreements, fire suppression, building permits and health issues.

He calls it not entirely an anti-turbine group but also a mutual information sharing organization.

Greenfield believes there doesn’t seem to be any way to stop the farms, and says if they can’t be stopped, the town should consider what kind of benefits it could get out of it saying they would consider how to “get the best out of a bad situation.”

Greenfield says there could be some economic development, but residential development “just simply stops” when you have a wind farm.

He adds “the positives are far far fewer than the negatives”

Director of Planning and Building Services Robert Armstrong says Town hasn’t heard anything from wind developers for a couple of years.

Armstrong adds that Meaford doesn’t know if anyone is interested in putting farms in their municipality.

Because they have open meetings, Councillor Jayden Calvert volunteered to attend one of the group’s meetings which are open to the public, before committing $700 to joining.

Calvert adds as a member, the town could be counted as a voting number, but there’s nothing stopping them from benefiting from the information sharing without membership.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/07/07/meaford-delays-joining-wind-group/