“Like a death”: new research explores why some wind turbine neighbours were forced to leave their homes

“It was basically like a death when we had to move from our home”

New research catalogues the reasons behind families in Ontario who decided to abandon their homes after wind turbines started up.

June 29, 2020
“I couldn’t sleep anymore”
“Nowhere to go, no hiding from it [the noise]”
“We had beautiful water–you couldn’t drink it afterwards [turbines began operation]”
“I asked my doctor [if my health problems could be” about [wind] turbines. She said, ‘Yes’.”
Those are just a few of the comments made by Ontario residents who participated in a special study done by a team of health care professionals, acoustics specialists and investigators. A new paper by Dr. Robert McMurtry, Carmen Krogh, acoustics specialists Robert Rand, Jerry Punch, Stephen Ambrose and others*, reviews the reasons behind the desperate choice made by dozens of Ontario families to leave their homes, to preserve their health–both mental and physical.
The new paper, published last week, is based on a study carried out over three years involving 67 Ontario residents and additional family members for a total of 165 people. They all lived within 10 km of industrial-scale wind turbines or wind power generators.
More than half reported adverse health effects after being exposed to noise emissions and vibration from operating wind turbines; stray voltage and disturbed water wells were also cited as key factors in decisions to leave the houses. The people participating in the study had lived in their houses for a mean period of 20 years, or a range of three to 66 years.
The aim of the paper is to present policy-makers with information on the “potential outcomes of placing wind turbines near family homes,” the authors state in their conclusion.
“The comments made by the people in this study are just heart-breaking,” said Wind Concerns Ontario president Jane Wilson. “We’ve seen them over and over in the Incident Reports we received from Freedom of Information requests, together with statements from people indicating they can’t put up with the turbines and the adverse effects anymore. It is well past time the government enforced the rules, changed the rules, and developed rules that truly protect the people of Ontario.
“Bravo to this study team, and all the work they’ve done to expose the terrible things that have happened to innocent citizens.”
Read the full paper here: https://m.scirp.org/papers/101098?fbclid=IwAR3XcUKEebiBR-sLAyIEbNpGHnP3-EQU3_hwtOx4_ovfW6f-cI6JQj7Igfc
 
*Other authors include community group leaders such as Anne Dumbrille (CCSAGE), Linda Rogers (Mothers Against Wind Turbines) and Debra Hughes.

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10 Comments

  • Jim MURRAY
    Posted June 29, 2020 7:21 pm 0Likes

    I was told by MOE I was the only one in our area that complained. This was not TRUE having talked to other neighbours. Can”t sleep with windows open and have a fan running.This is so wrong!!!! After 6 different companies owning this project BluEarth bought it and is back by the Ontario Teachers Funds. I know it only affects some of us but I guess I am the lucky one. DO NOT LET THEM PUT ANY MORE UP !!!!!

    • Wind Concerns Ontario
      Posted June 30, 2020 4:02 pm 0Likes

      That was an outrageous tactic by a government department to intimidate and discourage, with the obvious end goal of persuading you not to bother reporting again. It is completely unprofessional, especially if you were told that by a Provincial Officer who, under the Criminal Code of Canada, is actually a Public Officer with the same responsibilities as police, first responders and others.
      We have heard this from many people.
      Please watch this space and/or follow us on Facebook for future developments in this regard.

  • Sommer
    Posted June 30, 2020 3:15 pm 0Likes

    According to this article,the aim of the paper is to present policy-makers with information on the “potential outcomes of placing wind turbines near family homes.”
    Could someone please tell readers here who are the policy makers that have actually read this paper and what is it that they’ve decided to do about the harm that people are still reporting and have reported for years?
    Even though the largest project in Ontario has been found to be non-compliant for tonal noise which is coming from more than half of the turbines (89) and this was made public over a year ago, the turbines still have not been derated. The tonal noise, as well as the swooshing and whomping and the LFN and acoustic pulsations(infrasound radiation) continue to trespass onto neighbouring property.

    • Wind Concerns Ontario
      Posted June 30, 2020 4:00 pm 0Likes

      You must be referring to K2. As soon as the Provincial Officer’s Order was issued to the operator, the company got a Stay so they were not required to act. What they have been doing is continuing on the hamster wheel of testing/audit, which of course is based on a flawed protocol. The audit results are due anytime. Action by the citizens of Ontario will be determined at that time.

    • Wind Concerns Ontario
      Posted June 30, 2020 4:16 pm 0Likes

      Please send a copy to your MPP, asking that she read it.

  • Sommer
    Posted July 6, 2020 8:00 am 0Likes

    Our MPP, Lisa Thompson, has not been able to protect residents being harmed.

  • Sommer
    Posted July 6, 2020 8:09 am 0Likes

    On June 20, 2019, she was reassigned as Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Even in this capacity, Minister Thompson has been unable to address the Federal Statutes that have been violated in allowing industrial scale turbines and their harmful acoustic emissions to trespass onto neighbouring properties.
    She is well aware that more than half of the turbines have been declared non-compliant for tonal noise and still the tonal noise continues. Copies of reports of harm have been sent to her office. She has also been made aware of the continuing swooshing and whomping noises as well as the harm from LFN and acoustic pulsations/infrasound.

  • Jimmy Wilson
    Posted November 10, 2020 9:56 pm 0Likes

    I am so proud of the school board and the people of Cross Plains for voting against these harmful monsters. No good could come out of them. THANK YOU.

  • Bridge Dale
    Posted March 3, 2021 6:06 am 0Likes

    Wind turbines are always such a great presence to have in the landscape and I can’t think of a single reason as to why not have these as cultural landmarks.

    • Wind Concerns Ontario
      Posted March 3, 2021 9:58 am 0Likes

      “Cultural landmarks”??? Wind turbines or wind power generators are huge, noisy industrial machines—there is nothing “cultural” about them. We suspect your positive view is because you anticipate difficulty selling houses (it’s all about the money, isn’t it?) when there are turbines in view. As a real estate professional you should do your due diligence and read research on property value loss. In specific, a recent study by Nanos Research and Clarkson University found that just seeing a turbine reduces value by 15%. See also recent work by Richard Vyn. Given the increasing research on wind turbine noise emissions and health effects, possibly you could rise about monetary interests and stand up for Alberta communities by resisting the wave of intermittent, unreliable wind turbines heading your way. Wind power can’t fulfill any of its promises.

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