Victoria Day weekend in Canada is a time for picnics and fun with family and friends, for many people.
One set of grandparents living on a farm in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township in Huron County thought that would be fun too, and were looking forward to having their two young granddaughters come and stay for a lovely weekend in the country.
But it was not to be.
Early on the morning of the holiday Sunday, the grandmother said, “there was a horrible tonal* noise — whine and whooing that made staying on the second level of our home intolerable.”
Later on that same morning, she said, she had “severe pressure and pain” in her ear.
Then, “Our eight year old granddaughter complained of a ‘sore forehead’.” The child has complained of sore ears at times in the past while visiting her grandparents’ home, but never at any other time.
Outside that morning the family discovered, the whining and whooing noise was everywhere.
“We had to leave here [our home] with those little girls,” the grandmother said.
“We have no freedom to do as we want in our private surroundings. It makes me weep.”
The family, who wishes to remain anonymous, like so many other families forced to endure the noise and vibration from wind turbines, have reported the turbine noise and vibration to authorities on numerous occasions. They live with 11 wind turbines within two kilometres of their home, the closest of which is just over 700 metres from the house.
On the Victoria Day weekend, they filed a complaint with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change District Office, and added this statement:
“You are harming us.”
Ontario Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Glen Murray recently promised in the Legislature that his staff were responding to such complaints and that they would ensure the rules on noise emissions would be enforced.
Ontario families who did not ask to be exposed to these noise emissions deserve to have the Ministry fulfill its mandate, and protect all citizens from harm.
The Spills Action Line for the MOECC can be reached at 1-800-268-6060 to report excessive wind turbine noise, vibration and shadow flicker. If you call during business hours, you will be referred to the local Business Office. From the website:
You must report a spill if it:
- harms or causes material discomfort to any person
- injures or damages property or animal life
- impairs the quality of the natural environment air, water or land
- causes adverse health effects
- presents a safety risk
- renders property, plant or animal life unfit for use
- leads to the loss of enjoyment of the normal use of property
- interferes with the normal conduct of business
- Pure tones are wave forms that occur at a single frequency. Tonal noise is generated by rotating equipment at a predictable frequency relating to the rotational speed of the shaft and the number of compressor vanes, fan blades, engine pistons, gear teeth, etc.
20 Comments
Notinduttondunwich
WOW!!!!
whooper
They were not the only ones being harmed over Victoria Day weekend! My husband called the spills line and received a reference number and I followed up by sending the following complaint:
To: “rick.chappell@ontario.ca” ; “scott.gass@ontario.ca” ; “k2wind@capitalpower.com” ; “info@k2wind.ca”
Cc: “lisa.thompson@pc.ola.org” ; “eclark@huroncounty.ca” ; “Moh@huroncounty.ca” ; “gmurray.mpp@liberal.ola.org” ; “ruth.gebremedhin2@ontario.ca”
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2017 12:38 PM
Subject: K2 Wind turbine Noise and HEALTH complaint – May 21, 2017 @ 9AM
It is May 21, 2017. The K2 wind turbine project owned by Pattern Energy, Axium Infrastructure and Capital Power located in Ashfield, Colborne, Wawanosh Township in Huron County Ontario is producing a TONAL, “wooooooooo” noise. These are Siemens turbines.
My husband is experiencing dizziness and has head pressure and ringing in his ears. I am out of town.
The TONAL noise is coming through the closed windows and walls. It is rising and lowering in intensity, a cyclical, modulating TONAL woo, woo, WOO, woo Woo, wooo wooooo .
The temp. 15 C, wind from the SSE at 26 kph, relative humidity 94%. It is overcast.
A complaint was logged with the MOECC Spills line ref. number 4305-AMKM3Q at 12:15 PM.
Investigate this as a HEALTH and noise complaint. Investigate this under REDA.
Archive this email.
Thank you,
K2 noise receptor #868
Sommer
For the past two years, even residents who are still unaware of what is causing their psychological and physical symptoms, are unconsciously fleeing their homes, when the atmospheric conditions and wind speeds are such that their nervous systems are being bombarded with infrasound. The’ flight or fight’ response causes them to suddenly make decisions to get away from their homes. Peacefully relaxing at home and enjoying the day is not possible.
When headaches and cardiovascular symptoms are happening, it’s unsafe to get in a vehicle and drive. In the middle of the night, especially in the winter, people should not be out on the roads in Huron County, trying to escape the harm.
Inviting guests to one’s home and taking the risk that they could be harmed while visiting becomes a deterrent to maintaining one’s normal social life with family and friends.
Jd
I reported turbine noise to them over two years ago. They came out and told me not to call back as there was nothing they could do. Abandonment is the only answer. Anything less will be used against you. Can’t be that bad if you are still there will be their response. We abandoned our house a year ago. Best decision we made. No regrets but not easy. We’re now abandoning our barn and building away from them.
whooper
What wind project?
Sommer
As long as people abandon their homes, the wind companies and the MOECC do not have to take responsibility. In Canada we have a very embarrassing history of forced relocation by industry.Take a look at what they Canada’s government did to the Mic Mac in Sydney, Nova Scotia when the steel industry moved in. Why are rural residents in Ontario being treated this way?
It is no longer acceptable to force people to leave their homes.
Wind Concerns Ontario
If you know of people who have abandoned homes, please reply in confidence to contact@windconcernsontario.ca Thank you
Richard Mann
For an update on the Health Impacts of Wind Turbines, here is a talk by Carmen Krogh, speaking at University of Waterloo.
https://livestream.com/itmsstudio/events/7194480
DATE: Wednesday, March 29, 2017
TIME: 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
LOCATION: DC 1302, University of Waterloo.
TITLE: Industrial wind turbines can harm humans
PRESENTER: Carmen M Krogh
ABSTRACT:
The topic of the risk of harm to human health associated with wind energy facilities is controversial and debated worldwide. On May 7, 2014, Carmen Krogh presented a seminar at the University of Waterloo which considered some of the research dating back to the early 1980’s. A snapshot of some of the current research available in 2014 was provided. The research is challenged in part by the complexities and numerous variables and knowledge gaps associated with this subject. This presentation will explore some of these research challenges and provide an update on the growing body of evidence regarding human health risk factors. Included will be the emerging research indicating risks to those working in this field.
BIO:
Carmen M Krogh is a full time volunteer and published researcher regarding health effects and industrial wind energy facilities and shares information with communities; individuals; federal, provincial and public health authorities, wind energy developers; the industry; and others. She is an author and a co-author of peer reviewed articles and conference papers presented at wind turbine scientific noise conferences. Ms Krogh is a retired pharmacist whose career includes: senior executive positions at a teaching hospital (Director of Pharmacy); a drug information researcher at another teaching hospital; a Director of a professional organization; and a Director (A) at Health Canada (PMRA). She is the former Director of Publications and Editor in Chief of the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (CPS), the book used by physicians, nurses, and health professionals for prescribing information in Canada.
Richard Mann
According to Huron County, they are now waiting on University of Waterloo for ethics approval. I have documented all my correspondence with Huron County on my web page,
http://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr
A (legally mandated) Health Investigation was started in March 2016.
Since then there have been numerous delays. Finally, on May 12, 2017, Huron Health Board sent a letter saying that they lack the authority to turn the turbines off.
There appears to be no remedy for those living under turbines.
Sommer
Can you imagine waking up suddenly in the middle of the night, in the winter, with your heart pounding, and head feeling as if it was full of fluid and your ears ringing so loudly you could hardly get to the telephone to call the SPILL HOTLINE to beg them to turn off the turbines, only to be told by the person answering the hotline “I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do for you, except report this to the local MOECC officer who will not be in is office until tomorrow morning. In the middle of winter, leaving your home during the night to seek refuge is not an option!
Wind Concerns Ontario
Do NOT stop calling. Report, get an Incident Report number, maintain your records. Do NOT STOP.
Sommer
People will have to see that it is not a futile effort before they can be convinced to try again.
Would you believe that there are still residents who have not made the connection between their psychological and physical symptoms and the wind turbines near their homes. This is why they are going to their doctors and being prescribed drugs with serious side effects.
The Health Unit still does not list the common symptoms on their website and no newspaper articles have been published with this information coming from an ‘authority’ figure in the community.
Residents who have done the research have created and printed posters and placed them in public areas, listing the symptoms and offering to help, but as quickly as they are posted, people take them down.
SEM
I also have been affected by the wind turbines. They started in our area in 2015. I contacted all the ministries and organizations, the mayor, MP. Also the wind company telling me there is nothing they can do. We have had to move away, returning only occasionally.
Wind Concerns Ontario
Are you in Ontario? If so please contact us in confidence at contact@windconcernsontario.ca in regards to a research study
Notinduttondunwich
All you folks driven from your homes should go and camp out on ole Katy wyndds lawn at her house…. you know… we will leave as soon as it’s safe to occupy OUR HOMES… again…. safely …. without being harmed by IWT projects….
Just ridiculous these people are being harmed and driven from their lives!!!!
Oh the horror…..
Johana
I can’t find Katty’s house address.
Would you please send it to me.
With thanks.
Wind Concerns Ontario
We don’t have that, and would not use it. premier@ontario.ca
Richard Mann
I just posted and my previous comment didn’t appear, so I’ll ask again,
Can WCO please tell me what “research study” you are involved in? Is there something else going on besides the (stalled) Huron County Health Investigation?
Tracy
Good morning, here’s a poor me story…!
There are 18 industrial wind turbines within a 3 km radius of my house in Clear Creek. From the fall of 2008 to the spring of 2010 I left my home in Clear Creek Ontario many times in the dead of the night because of illness cause by the effects of the industrial wind turbines. I left my home of many years, permanently in 2010.
Before then, I drove out of my driveway in the night, with a plastic grocery bag in my hand, often throwing up, suffering from vertigo, headache, tinnitus, lethargy to the point of severe impairment, as well as had uterine hemorrhaging that started when returning home from work, to get away from the turbines. I would spend the remainder of the night in my vehicle, away from my home, many times, in sub zero temperatures in the cold winter months of Ontario. I would return to my home in the morning, shower and go to school-(I was a high school teacher-department head for many years). I would stay at school until 6-7pm at night, go home,have supper, and then live this nightmare over and over again. Blood pressure measured as high as 200/150, cortisol levels were at 200. I was exhausted and had become anemic.
I eventually left my home which still remains empty. I continue to pay a mortgage and taxes on it.
I have since lived in some real shit holes! The first place I lived was a snake infested shack which has since been torn down. One of my accommodations had no running water. I showered in the facilities at a nearby park, bathed in the lake, and showered at school as well.
I have had many severe health issues which includes lesions in the brain and a transient ischemic attack. I’ve had two Takotsubo attacks, broken ribs (my bones have deteriorated as well), I could go on and on. I have been in the hospital numerous times and have had many painful procedures.
This morning I am having severe pain and numbness in the left side of my face. I have been experiencing this for 2 1/2 years since I had the shingles on that side of my face. The physical and psychological scars are something I must live with.
I am no longer able to teach school . I was forced to give up a much loved career of many years. I went for months with no income. It was hell. I am my only provider.
Mike Crawley, the original CEO of the Aimpowergen-Cultus, Frogmore, Clear Creek wind farm as well as various levels of government are aware of this yet have not helped me in any way. Hey..Crawley is not only a multimillionaire now but also advanced to the president of the federal Liberal party…
For those of you who are just getting on this Mad Hatter ride, this has been going on in Ontario for 10+ years, since the first development in Shelburne in 2006.
The government does what they want and continue to build turbines. They don’t care. It really hurts to see Wynne and Trudeau hand out millions of dollars yet fail to help people like myself.
I currently need a new roof on my home that sits empty amongst the turbines. I can no longer afford the hydro. The basement fills with water. I pump it with a gas powered pump. I need thousands of dollars in dental work my benefits do not cover-I am currently losing my teeth – bone issues again.
I have posted on this site-if I recall correctly it was originally known as Ontario Wind Concerns for 9 years. My original handle was T3 (Tracy from turbine town).
You need to understand Ontario, posting on this site or calling the Spills Action Center is not stopping this terrible horrific nightmare that continues here in our own province.
Yes, I am embarrassed, I have been humiliated beyond, I have asked for help…but hey..I’m still alive!! At this point I’m not even sure this is a good thing. Some days I get really tired.
Just this week the Liberals gave Toronto a $200,000 big yellow duck – well “Happy Birthday” Canada, how cute.
I wish all of you the best of luck. Still hanging on here…never knowing if this day is my last! That’s life…or not..
I’m trying to think of a fund raiser I’m able to do to raise proceeds to maintain my house in Clear Creek.
Also, my best friend of 18 years-Belle, my Australian Shepherd has been with me throughout this ordeal needs surgery to remove a cancerous tumour. This is my first priority.
I would appreciate any ideas you may have, thanks.
Tracy
Correction of previous posting:
Cortisol levels were as high as &00, not 200, when living close to the turbines.
Seriously, fundraising ideas: I need a new roof and would be good to keep the hydro on and the water out of the basement. Prior to turbines, I had no water in the basement whatsoever. There was a shortage of water. The year the turbines started, I spent $4,000 installing a cistern.