Wind Power News: Ontario
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 farm killed by new government following legal battle
A few days after the new Conservative government introduced legislation last month to kill a major wind turbine project in Prince Edward County, a lawyer for the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change was in court to defend the initial approval process. The Divisional Court panel dismissed the application by a residents group for an injunction to halt construction and ruled in favour of the respondents – the province and WPD White Pines Wind Incorporated. That decision and other court . . . Complete story »
Northern neighbors’ green-energy blues bad omen for Vermont
A common mantra among green-energy advocates is that alternative power prices are falling and economies thrive when a commitment is made to renewable energy. That mantra has suddenly gone silent for Vermont’s northern neighbors in Ontario. According to a Fraser Institute report released in April, Ontario’s residential electricity costs have risen 71 percent between 2008 and 2016, more than double the 34 percent average increase for the rest of Canada. Ontario accounts for over 90 percent of the country’s solar . . . Complete story »
Contractors for Amherst Island wind turbine project owed millions
Several sub-contractors who built the Amherst Island wind turbine project have filed liens in a Napanee court looking to be paid millions of dollars owed for unpaid work. The Whig-Standard spoke to two sub-contractors who allege the main contractor on the project, Pennecon Heavy Civil, hasn’t paid them since March. The Amherst Island wind project was built by Windlectric Inc., a subsidiary of Oakville-based Algonquin Power. Pennecon, with head offices in Newfoundland and Labrador, was hired as the general contractor . . . Complete story »
Wind projects are dead
The Progressive Conservatives’ first bill will have a huge effect on the Quinte region. Dubbed the Urgent Priorities Act, the Tories called back the legislature for a summer sitting and passed the bill officially spelling the end of wpd Canada’s White Pines Wind Project as well as ending an almost six-month long labour strike at Toronto’s York University. APPEC president Orville Walsh said the bill ends a battle that’s lasted almost a decade. “Finally, it’s final,” he said. “It’s been . . . Complete story »
EDP defends Nation Rise
During her cross-examination, Concern Citizens' lawyer Kathleen Coulter sought – with some success – to demonstrate the limitations of the monitoring system and that EDP had been dismissive when responding to the concerns raised by residents during the planning process. She pressed Little to admit the meteorological data the monitoring system relies on to predict things like ice build-up could be inaccurate and that without a person stationed at the wind farm 24/7, if there was ever an emergency like a fire, first responders would show up before someone was EDP was there to assist them. Complete story »
Forest fire breaks out at wind project construction site
HENVEY INLET FIRST NATION – A fire broke out at a Henvey Inlet First Nation construction site July 18, starting a massive forest fire in the Parry Sound area of Ontario. Crews were building a major wind turbine project at the site, one of the largest in the province, according to media reports. Reports also indicate crews were blasting rock and clearing land for the turbines despite a region-wide fire ban in effect. It is unclear what started the fire and . . . Complete story »
County wind farm now officially illegal
It’s over. The majority Progressive Conservative government has passed Bill 2, the Urgent Priorities Act, which officially halts the construction of the nine-turbine wpd White Pines wind farm in Prince Edward County, among other things. The project was officially cancelled at 4:50 Wednesday afternoon. Bay of Quinte riding MPP, PC Todd Smith said wpd was facing environmental charges and the project was proceeding despite breaking the previous government’s own rules. Smith said the proposed project had already been trimmed from . . . Complete story »
Otter Creek Wind Farm cancelled
Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines Greg Rickford said all of the cancelled projects have not reached project development milestones. Terminating the projects at an early stage will maximize benefits for ratepayers, he said in a release. “We clearly promised we would cancel these unnecessary and wasteful energy projects as part of our plan to cut hydro rates by 12 per cent for families, farmers and small businesses,” said Rickford. “In the past few weeks, we have taken significant steps toward keeping that promise.” Complete story »
Fire worries Shawanaga man as construction continues on wind farm line
SHAWANAGA FIRST NATION – Noble Boucher worries construction on the Henvey Inlet Wind power line behind his home is going to start a wild fire as Key River-area forests continue to burn. “I hardly slept last night because my concern of possible fires starting, and the bush line comes right to the house,” he said. It’s a fear shared by the Georgian Bay Association. Tuesday evening the GBA asked Premier Doug Ford and the minister of natural resources and forestry, “to . . . Complete story »
Massive Ontario forest fire sparked by wind farm construction during extreme fire ban, workers allege
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is investigating whether construction crews building a major wind-turbine project on the eastern shores of Georgian Bay amidst tinder-dry conditions caused a forest fire that is now devouring more than 5,600 hectares of land. The fire started last Wednesday on Henvey Inlet First Nation at the site of the province’s largest wind project, where crews are blasting rock and clearing land to erect dozens of wind turbines. Despite “extreme fire hazard” conditions and . . . Complete story »
