CBC News June 20, 2016
Seventy-five municipalities across Ontario are calling on the provincial government to give them more say on future wind farm projects.
Some eastern Ontario communities have declared themselves “unwilling hosts” to wind farms, only to recently have the province award contracts against their wishes.
The City of Ottawa, North Frontenac and at least 73 other municipalities want Ontario’s Independent Electrical System Operator (IESO) to “make formal municipal support a mandatory requirement in Ontario’s next round of procurement for renewable energy projects,” according to the resolution.
- Rural councillors call for greater voice in wind farm deal
- Wind turbines approved for eastern Ontario despite objections
The provincial energy agency claims to let communities express their concerns, but that has little impact on the outcome, according to North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins.
“We basically don’t have any democratic right when it comes to deciding where these wind turbines go … within our municipality,” he said.
75 municipalities across Ontario have endorsed a resolution that calls for increased local consultation before the next round of renewable energy projects. (Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press)
Higgins said if given the opportunity North Frontenac would turn down all wind turbine projects, but he said some area municipalities would support them.
“We may want them, we may not want them, but if we do want them we’d like to be able to tell you where to put them,” said Higgins.
“Not right in front of a cottage door, or high on a mountain where all our cottages can see it.”
Current process ‘unfair,’ Ottawa councillor says
The current procurement process for renewable energy projects is “unfair” and “incredibly frustrating,” according to Rideau-Goulbourn ward Coun. Scott Moffatt.
Moffatt said he has no choice but to tell upset constituents “‘sorry, it’s the province, sorry, it’s the province.’ It just sounds like we’re passing the buck, but literally we have no control over these things.”
Both Higgins and Moffatt said they’re hopeful Ontario’s new energy minister, Glenn Thibeault, will be open to new discussions.
Higgins said he requested meetings with previous minister, Bob Chiarelli, three times, but that all requests were denied.
See the entire story here
12 Comments
Pat Cusack
My goodness, let’s hope new minister will do something positive.
Barbara
Maybe the “pea” under the shells just got moved again?
Sommer
I wonder if we will ever find out how many people have tried to get through to Premier Wynne, Minister Bob Chiarelli, Minister Glen Murray and Minister Eric Hoskins…to no avail.
This disrespect is beyond anything I have ever experienced and witnessed in Ontario.
Barbara
Didn’t the “pea” get moved under the shells in the recent Huron County Health Board affair?
sommer
Yes..it has seemed like a ‘slight of hand’ type of manoeuvre. Fortunately, we have brilliant people working with us to expose this.
notinduttondunwich
What it basically boils down to folks is what we call a public revolt…. or public disobedience. .. Ole Katty Wynnd and her band of merry enviromurders will not stop this BS even when they realize they have made a huge mistake…. and trust me folks they know they have screwed the pooch on this one among other liberal fails…. until the public stands in arm in arm with each other on the dusty back roads of rural ontario and say NO WAY KATTY!!! This will not stop…. the good folks of Dutton Dunwich have been busy planning the first strike that will start this revolution…. hundreds of good DD folks are so sick and tired of being told we have to have IWT and there’s nothing they can do about it and sorry about your referendum ….. it’s gonna take a little bloodshed and some tragedy followed by national coverage to get this point across to Ole Katty Wynnd and her band of enviromurders that NO MEANS NO HERE IN DUTTON DUNWICH! !!!
Remember Oka and Caledonia there Katty. …
notinduttondunwich
On a side note same page….. premier Wynnd is now going to raise everyone’s CPP because she is running on a negative in the Ole bank account. Katty where is the money we have been giving you for all these years??? …. as they syphon off of us hard working Ontarions we’re gonna be too busy worrying if what’s left of our paychecks is gonna be enough to pay the hydro bill!!!! . … like the grey energy act, CPP increases are for the good of the people of Ontario ….. as is the SMALL AMOUNT it will cost each of us…. first round of CPP $$$ will go to “PROCURE” more green energy…. it’s more important you know!!!!
Bert
And than there is the Wynne cap and trade, the next money grab. And again no benefit to the environment.
notinduttondunwich
Yup Wyndd believes just a small amount for each person is ok….. little do they realize that a small amount on hydro… on natural gas… on CPP. … on your taxes…. actually adds up to ONE LARGE AMOUNT ….. it’s like a giant jenga set…. one piece here… one piece there…. another one here….. wow that looks really unstable…. one more just can’t help myself. …..then the inevitable crash and watch Wynnd and the liberals leave the table for us to clean up the mess!!!! Games over right see ya!
Barbara
Environmental Defence & Greenpeace, Canada, April 9, 2015
Study report information @: http://greenpeace.org/canada/Global/canada/pr/2015/04/Energy-strategy.pdf
Note: The information contacts
Barbara
May need to type in the URL or an internet search.
Barbara
Some history about ENGOs
FNI/Fridtjof Nansesn Institute
‘The Role of Green NGOs in Promoting Climate Compliance’, 4/2003
A 24 page report on how ENGOs are set-up and operate.
CAN, Greenpeace and Friends of The Earth are present in Canada.
http://www.fni.no/pdf/rapp0403.pdf
May need to type in the URL which sometimes works or use report title for an internet search..
Some times you have to go back to understand the present.