More Ontario municipalities demand municipal support be mandatory in wind power contract bids

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As of August 19, 2016, 86 Ontario municipalities have passed a motion or resolution at Council, demanding the Wynne government and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) make municipal support a mandatory requirement for new wind power contract bids going forward.
Despite a surplus of electricity and the fact that Ontario ratepayers take losses weekly on sell-offs of extra power, while paying generators to “constrain” or, in the case of hydro and nuclear, to spill or steam off, the Ontario government still plans to proceed with a request for proposals for 600 megawatts of new contracts in 2017. The new contracts will cost Ontario electricity customer billions, at a time when bills have risen dramatically, and more than 8 percent of electricity customers have allowed their accounts to fall into arrears, according to a report recently released by the Ontario Energy Board.

Wind power aiming at the wrong thing

Ontario’s “green” energy program, now widely regarded as a failure, was brought in to benefit the environment, specifically air quality. Ontario’s new Environmental Commissioner Dianne Saxe has commented that the government has made a mistake—the true source of emissions is in the transportation sector.
Municipalities say that wind power projects have been a very invasive and high impact form of infrastructure on their communities: aside from the increasing electricity bills (which have social costs in terms of energy poverty, resulting in more visits to food banks and greater strain on social services), reports of noise, inaudible sound and health effects, and environmental impacts such as the deaths of birds and bats.
As a result, several passed resolutions to the effect that they want municipal support to be a necessity in successful wind power bids. As a City of Ottawa councilor put it, before Ontario’s second largest city passed its own resolution, the siting of power plants should be in line with municipalities’ own development plans. Moreover, truly successful sustainable development must have “buy-in” from the community — there are many serious concerns about wind power projects that warrant municipal control over siting … or whether a project goes ahead at all.
“This has been growing over the last several years,” says Wind Concerns Ontario president Jane Wilson. “Three years ago, the Association of Municipalities [AMO] met in Ottawa and we attended a special meeting on wind power. Sixty-three municipalities were represented that day, and I recall one mayor saying, ‘We’ve been beaten up pretty badly’ by government and the wind power corporations. Now, the municipalities want the land use planning powers removed by the Green Energy Act returned—it’s the fair and transparent thing for this government to do.”
A symposium was held prior to the recent AMO 2016 conference in Windsor, attended by municipal representatives, the IESO, and the Energy ministry. The IESO told the municipal officials that they were open to change but that they were “bound” by ministerial directive.

Asking Wynne to restore democracy to rural Ontario

“Democracy should be restored,” comments North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins, whose municipality faced proposals by two huge wind power developers in the last contract round and where a plebiscite revealed more than 80 percent of voters did not support the power projects. Environmental impact and property values were key concerns for the community. “I am hopeful the new Minister of Energy will meet with municipalities to discuss this,” he says.
While the 86 communities represents about 20 percent of all municipalities in Ontario, in fact it is the majority of municipalities that are vulnerable to wind power projects. The 86 span the province from east to west and include several in Ontario’s North. Several of the municipalities already have wind power projects operating—they have seen the complications first-hand, and have had enough.
See the list of communities here:

  1. Adelaide-Metcalfe, Middlesex County
  2. Alfred & Plantagenet, Prescott-Russell County
  3. Amaranth, Dufferin County
  4. Asphodel-Norwood. Peterborough County
  5. Algonquin Highlands, Haliburton County
  6. Armour, District of Parry Sound
  7. Arran-Elderslie, Bruce County
  8. Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Huron County
  9. Bayham, Elgin County
  10. Bluewater, Huron
  11. Brockton, Bruce
  12. Brooke-Alvinston, Lambton
  13. Bruce Mines, Algoma District
  14. Cavan-Monaghan, Peterborough
  15. Central Elgin, Elgin
  16. Central Huron, Huron
  17. Chamberlain, Timiskaming District
  18. Chatsworth, Grey County
  19. Clarington, Region of Durham
  20. Dutton-Dunwich, Elgin
  21. East Ferris, Nippissing District
  22. Elgin, County of
  23. Elizabeth-Kitley, Leeds and Grenville County
  24. Essex, Essex County
  25. Enniskillen, Lambton County
  26. Gananoque, Leeds and Grenville
  27. Georgian Bluffs, Grey
  28. Greater Madawaska, Renfrew County
  29. Greater Napanee, Lennox and Addington County
  30. Grey Highlands, Grey
  31. Hastings, County of
  32. Hastings Highlands, Hastings County
  33. Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Peterborough
  34. Hawkesbury, Prescott-Russell
  35. Hornepayne, Algoma
  36. Howick, Huron
  37. Huron, County of
  38. Huron-Kinloss, Bruce
  39. Kawartha Lakes, City of
  40. Killarney, Sudbury District
  41. Kincardine, Bruce
  42. Lakeshore, Essex
  43. Lambton, County of
  44. LaSalle, Essex
  45. Laurentian Hills, Renfrew County
  46. Leeds and the Thousand Islands, Leeds and Grenville
  47. Lennox & Addington, County of
  48. Madawaska Valley, Renfrew
  49. Mapleton, Wellington
  50. Magnetawan, Parry Sound
  51. Marathon, Thunder Bay District
  52. McDougall, Parry Sound
  53. McNabb Braeside, Renfrew
  54. Meaford
  55. Merrickville-Wolford, Leeds and Grenville
  56. Newbury, Middlesex
  57. Mono, Dufferin County
  58. Morris-Turnberry, Huron
  59. Nairn and Hyman, Sudbury District
  60. North Frontenac, Frontenac County
  61. North Glengarry; Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
  62. North Grenville, Leeds and Grenville
  63. North Perth, Perth
  64. North Stormont; Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry
  65. Northern Bruce Peninsula, Bruce
  66. Ottawa, City of
  67. Perth, County of
  68. Peterborough, County of
  69. Plympton-Wyoming, Lambton
  70. Prescott-Russell, United Counties of
  71. Prince Edward, County of
  72. Rainy River, Rainy River District
  73. Ramara, Simcoe County
  74. South Bruce Peninsula, Bruce
  75. Southgate, Grey
  76. Southwald, Elgin
  77. Tillsonburg, Oxford County
  78. Trent Lakes, Peterborough
  79. Tudor and Cashel, Hastings
  80. Tweed, Hastings
  81. Val Rita-Harty, Cochrane District
  82. Warwick, Lambton
  83. Wainfleet, Niagara Region
  84. West Grey, Grey
  85. West Lincoln, Niagara
  86. Zorra, Oxford
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18 Comments

  • Gord Schneider
    Posted August 21, 2016 12:21 pm 0Likes

    This insanity has to be stopped. The government needs to be at the least, soundly defeated, then prosecuted. What happens to existing wind farms? Will they be dismantled or let run out their life spans? What an absolute travesty!

    • Sommer
      Posted August 21, 2016 6:04 pm 0Likes

      Waiting for an election is too long for the people who are being harmed. Prosecution would be more expedient.

      • notinduttondunwich
        Posted August 21, 2016 7:39 pm 0Likes

        Impeach…… is that an option here??? Can we even do that in canada?

  • Pat Cusack
    Posted August 21, 2016 1:10 pm 0Likes

    You said it, Gord!

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 21, 2016 1:27 pm 0Likes

    You don’t actually think that the 1 million cars on the road in the GTA that idle an average of 8 hours a month in gridlock are causing some pollution…. why doesn’t Ole Katty Wynnd mandate every car in the GTA with a “A” in their licence plate have to take the GTA transit system on Monday! !!! Tuesday all plates with a “B” …. Wednesday all plates with a “C”…
    What’s that Katty????? you don’t think it’s fair to force people to take the transit that already exists…..!!!! TFB!!!!!!

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 21, 2016 4:18 pm 0Likes

    This article does not include turbine buddy’s municipality…. everyone in turbine buddy’s municipality is healthy….. rich…. and happy…. property values are up….. people are literally flocking go to live amongst the turbines there…….
    WCO you should put that in the article because turbine buddy speaks for every single person in his municipality and us as well….
    All good!!!! ?

  • Bert
    Posted August 21, 2016 6:05 pm 0Likes

    The first report of the new Environmental Commissioner Diane Saxe reveals some very interesting facts.
    The amount of fossil fuel used in electricity generating in Ontario is neglectable, (figure 2.2 on page 11). The cleaner air is a result from the shift away from manufacturing (page 19). Replacing coal with natural gas did not significant reduce carbon emission. Transportation is the main carbon emitter in Ontario. Wind turbines offer no solution.

    • Sommer
      Posted August 22, 2016 1:48 pm 0Likes

      Thanks Bert. This is all interesting.
      Diane Saxe came out to Huron County this spring and she was given an earful from people who are being harmed by turbines.
      Do you think there’s any chance she’ll put a stop to to this failed experiment?

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 22, 2016 2:22 pm 0Likes

    Thanks for bringing me in a contract B.
    Page 4
    Item 6. Extention term
    6.1 the lessee (Inverenergy ) shall have the option to renew this lease for one additional term of twenty one (21) years less a day. In order to exercise the lessee’s option the lessee shall notify the lessor in writing by courier of its intention to exercise it’s option no later than 365 days prior to the end of the initial term.said renewal to be upon the same terms and conditions set forth in this lease……. blah blah blah…….
    There you go folks even if the leaseholders have had enough at the end of the first term the wind companies can stay another 21 years!!!

  • Bert
    Posted August 22, 2016 5:58 pm 0Likes

    I think all she can do is report. See http://eco.on.ca/ here you can also read the reports.
    Diane Saxe used to be a big lawyer friend of the wind companies.
    Maybe not anymore. She reports that carbon emissions from electricity generating in Ontario is negligible. Indicating that wind turbines in Ontario are useless.

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 22, 2016 6:17 pm 0Likes

    Right Bert….. just like the Auditor general….. they report to us the citizens of Ontario. …. then Ole Katty Wynnd gives it the Old….. uhhh Mr speaker I uhhh….. we have looked… uhhhh ….. at the …. uhhh reports ….. and uhhh….. well Mr speaker. ….. uhhhh hh. ……..

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 22, 2016 10:31 pm 0Likes

    German Wind Farm Backlash Begins: Bavaria’s High Court Confirms 2KM Setback Rule | STOP THESE THINGS
    https://stopthesethings.com/2016/05/26/german-wind-farm-backlash-begins-bavarias-high-court-confirms-2km-setback-rule/

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 23, 2016 1:08 pm 0Likes

    Hey I was just wondering there windbuddy….. what municipality are you from……

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 23, 2016 1:13 pm 0Likes

    German Wind Farm Backlash Builds: Bavaria Slams Brakes On Wind Turbine Roll-Out | STOP THESE THINGS
    https://stopthesethings.com/2016/04/29/german-wind-farm-backlash-builds-bavaria-slams-brakes-on-wind-turbine-roll-out/

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 25, 2016 8:33 pm 0Likes

    £250bn wind power industry could be the greatest scam of our age | Daily Mail Online
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361316/250bn-wind-power-industry-greatest-scam-age.html

    • Lucy
      Posted August 28, 2016 11:14 am 0Likes

      Some of us have been living this nightmare in SW Ontario for nearly a decade. I’ve been saying this for years; nobody listened.
      Read archived comments dating back to 2009. All I have left to say is “I told you so.”

  • Lucy
    Posted August 28, 2016 11:09 am 0Likes

    Norfolk County is not listed..

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