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 turbine substations targeted for copper wire theft in Huron County
HURON COUNTY, ON—A total of nine thefts over two months have police urging the public to take note and be aware of suspicious activity. Thieves have been targeting hydro / wind turbine substations to steal copper wiring in Bluewater and Huron East. Six cases have been investigated in Bluewater and three cases in Huron East. In some instances, the thieves stole about 40 feet of copper wire which has a street value of $100. In other cases thieves made off . . . Complete story »
Wind change takes time: MPP
Several people at the meeting have left their homes because of health effects they say are a result of living too close to wind turbines. Martina Heyward, who lives near two of the wind turbines in the Durham East wind farm, claimed she sold her 50-member goat herd due to effects of living too close to wind turbines. She has now lost her source of income and says she also suffers health effects. “I am on your side. I’ve been on your side since 2011 and I plan to stay on your side,” Walker said, but added, “It’s not going to get turned off in the first month, it’s going to get turned off in the second month. I hope all of you thought it was a good step getting rid of the Green Energy Act which all of you have been asking us to do.” Complete story »
Plympton-Wyoming mayor calls for wind companies to pay more
The mayor of Plympton-Wyoming wants Ontario’s new government to change the rules so wind turbine owners pay higher property taxes. Mayor Lonny Napper recently received the backing of town council to ask the province to review how property assessments are set for the 20 wind turbines operating in Plympton-Wyoming. “The taxation on turbines is very unfair,” Napper said. “Whether you oppose them or like them, that’s not the issue. The issue is fair taxation.” Plympton-Wyoming received a total of just . . . Complete story »
Not done fighting turbines, conservationists say
Frustrated by what they say are thousands of unreported bird and bat deaths, activists are calling for the new provincial government to take a closer look at the hundreds of wind turbines that dot rural Ontario. These conservationists want the Environment Ministry to scrutinize what they say are flawed environmental assessments on the province’s existing turbines, saying the huge industrial windmills are responsible for tens of thousands of bird and bat deaths across Ontario each year These deaths, they say, . . . Complete story »
Well water drinkers in Chatham-Kent asking PCs to investigate sediment findings
Some people using well water in Chatham-Kent are calling on the Provincial Conservative government to follow through on an election promise to investigate what’s causing sediment to enter their drinking water. An advocacy group believes there are close to 80 families currently having to filter sediment from water wells on their property after it was dislodged into their drinking source during the construction of wind turbines. “A lot of the community is quite disappointed, quite frustrated. We expected an election . . . Complete story »
Water well activists continue push for health hazard investigation
With the North Kent Wind project already operational, water well activists are continuing their push for a health hazard investigation. About 20 residents were in attendance for an open house on Tuesday at Country View Golf Course. Like similar events held in the past, project officials maintained the construction and operation of the 34-turbine wind farm has had no impact on wells, with those in the crowd disputing that. The wind project developers include Samsung Renewable Energy and Pattern Energy. . . . Complete story »
Local Green Energy Act opponents want MPP Bill Walker to take next step
Enthusiasm abounds among local politicians who actively opposed the Green Energy Act, now that the newly elected Ontario government introduced legislation to scrap it. But they now want the provincial government to acknowledge people were harmed by wind turbines and to agree those who can no longer live in their homes should be compensated. That’s the view of the chair of the Multi-Municipal Wind Turbine Working Group, Randy Roppel, a municipal councillor in Kincardine, who spoke in an interview Tuesday. . . . Complete story »
Rickford: Scrapping the so called “Green” Energy Act
The only thing “green” about the Green Energy Act was the green that lined the pockets of well-connected insiders. That’s why, yesterday, I was very pleased to be joined by my friend Minister McNaughton to announce that we are repealing this disastrous legislation that killed jobs, hurt families, business and manufacturing across our province. For many people, the Green Energy Act is a symbol of a failed energy policy, driven by dangerous ideology and a culture of waste at Queen’s . . . Complete story »
PCs poised to kill Green Energy Act
The Ontario government has introduced legislation to scrap the Green Energy Act, which aimed to bolster the province’s renewable energy industry. Premier Doug Ford promised to repeal the act during the spring election campaign. The law was introduced by the previous Liberal government in 2009 under former premier Dalton McGuinty in a bid to grow the province’s solar and wind energy supply. Critics of the Green Energy Act have said it resulted in an increase in electricity costs and saw . . . Complete story »
Good riddance to toxic Green Energy Act
By scrapping the Green Energy Act, passed by former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty in 2009, Premier Doug Ford is ending one of the worst legislative disasters ever inflicted on the people of Ontario. Ford ran on repealing the GEA and the end of this appalling legislation cannot come soon enough. The GEA is largely responsible for Ontario’s skyrocketing electricity prices. It’s the reason we’re paying outrageously high prices for green energy the Liberals didn’t need in order to eliminate coal . . . Complete story »
