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.
Windmill plant closes, as Ontario’s Green Energy Act dies a painful, costly death
Most of Ontario’s wind farms have been resented as eyesores in the rural towns where they’ve been built; the Green Energy Act took away a bunch of local authority to resist them. Paying extra for the power they generate added injury to insult as electricity bills shot up, especially in those same rural areas.
Tillsonburg jobs losses ‘sad,’ ‘predictable,’ says prof
A University of Guelph economist says yesterday’s shuttering of the Siemens wind blade manufacturing plant in Tillsonburg was not only sad, but predictable. “Very sad story obviously for the employees and for the town. It’s however very predictable as well,” said Ross McKittrick. “The whole green energy economy is an artificial economy created with subsidies.” The University of Guelph economics professor, and senior fellow with the right-leaning think tank the Fraser Institute, argues the Ontario Liberals were betting that subsidies . . .
‘Bang, everything was locked down’: Hundreds of jobs lost as Siemens closes turbine plant in Tillsonburg
TILLSONBURG, ONT. – The loss of 340 jobs at a Tillsonburg factory that makes blades for wind turbines could be a harbinger of troubles ahead in Ontario’s green energy industry, a leading analyst says. Siemens Canada said Tuesday it’s closing its Tillsonburg plant, one of four Ontario green energy factories set up under a controversial, multi-billion-dollar deal with Korean industrial giant Samsung. The closing of one of the town’s largest employers came after weeks of speculation, the fallout rippling as far . . .
Tillsonburg blade plant, 300 jobs for the chop?
Tillsonburg is teetering on the edge of losing 300 jobs at one of its largest employers. The closing or temporary shutdown of Siemens Canada’s wind turbine blade plant in the Southwestern Ontario town would also raise questions about the fallout from Ontario’s controversial green energy policy. Rumours of some kind of looming shutdown or closing at Siemens, one of four green energy plants lured to Ontario under a controversial multibillion-dollar provincial deal with Korean industrial giant Samsung, began a few . . .
Port Elgin wind turbine frustration falls on deaf ears
SAUGEEN SHORES – Unconfirmed reports that UNIFOR did not complete acoustic testing of its wind turbine by the June 30 deadline, as promised to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC), prompted renewed calls to shut the turbine down if it cannot be proven to be operating within provincial noise guidelines. Town CAO David Smith told councillors at the July 10 committee of the whole meeting that unofficially, the consultant hired to do a peer review of the turbine . . .
Frustration builds in Lakeshore as turbines creep closer to residential areas
Lakeshore mayor Tom Bain isn’t happy the province overturned council’s vote to turn down dozens of new wind turbines. There are 109 turbines Lakeshore now and another 43 are slated to go up near the Puce and Emeryville area. “We feel they’re starting to encroach on residential areas and we’ve had our share,” said Bain. Companies work around the municipality by communicating directly with landowners who received between $8,000 and $12,000 per year for allowing one of the turbines on . . .
Wind turbine testing creating a stir
Saugeen Shores Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau says if a province-set deadline date has been missed then the turbine should be shut down by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. But that hasn’t happened suggesting the “Ministry isn’t super keen on sorting it out.” Charbonneau says many residents have complained multiple times but acoustic testing isn’t being done from where complaints have been filed. He says one resident complained some 20-times during the period when testing was taking place but . . .
MOE tells CK wind farm developer to fix turbine bases
Water Wells First has scored a small victory in its fight to stop wind turbines in North Kent. Ministry of Environment staff attended the site at Darrell Line on June 28 and agreed with the group that the base of the first tower was not properly capped and sealed to prevent rainwater from entering the groundwater aquifer. The Ministry has told the company to seal the steel pipe supports. Group spokesperson Kevin Jakubec says he’s glad the shoddy work has . . .
Water Wells First continues battle with C-K and MOECC
Water Wells First continues to battle on two fronts – the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change – over its concerns about the impact wind turbines are and will have on area water wells. An information picket was held at the Civic Centre on Wednesday by the grassroots community group to let the public know about the issues that have been seen with some water wells in Dover, which is blamed on vibrations from wind turbines . . .
Mayor hopes latest wind turbine blades will be Lakeshore’s last
“They put them in rural areas originally, and our farmers were happy for the extra income. Now they’re starting to encroach on our residential areas. “Originally, they wanted to put turbines along the Lake St. Clair shoreline, but fortunately we were able to talk them out of that.” “There are no other turbine projects on the books,” said Bain, who added residents have made it clear they don’t want any more wind turbines.
