QUEENS PARK – Editorial – The issue of electricity and the Green Energy Act was the subject of a Member’s Statement from Sylvia Jones, the MPP from Dufferin–Caledon.
The province of Ontario is currently paying wind farm owners to not produce electricity. In Thunder Bay a proposed wind project that has not received final approval from the Ministry of the Environment has completed cutting in the roads for what sources state to NNL are 18 sites. The project has been submitted for eight turbines. The old growth maple forest has been scarred by the push to ‘go green’.
The real question that might be asked is a simple one. “Is it green to destroy a forest?”
Perhaps if the Wynne Government is willing to pay a wind energy company not to produce electricity, then maybe the Wynne Government should consider paying a company NOT to build a wind farm?
For the most part, local elected officials seem silent on the issue.
As the fall leaves turn to a brilliant red, perhaps now is the time to take some time and reflect on the beauty of the Norwester Mountains and how important they are in our region. Coming years, all in the name of ‘Green Energy‘ that beauty will be replaced with the ‘wooommmpppp’ of wind turbines.
Member’s Statement
Once again, I want to share the concerns of Dufferin–Caledon residents regarding the impact industrial wind turbines are having in our communities.
Recently, the Liberals decided to start paying industrial wind turbine companies not to produce power due to oversupply in our energy system. Dufferin–Caledon residents are rightly asking, “Then why build them at all?” It is clear that the Liberals are putting the interests of industrial wind turbine companies ahead of the interests of taxpayers, and all Ontarians are paying the price on their energy bills.
Wind power is in oversupply, and the Liberal answer is to pay suppliers not to produce electricity while ignoring Ontario municipalities that have said no to industrial wind turbines. This Liberal approach to planning is ineffective, expensive and unsustainable. Their failure means that Ontarians are being gouged on their energy bills. Ad hoc policy changes are proving costly to consumers, and the plan to pay wind power producers to shut down energy production is another cost Ontarians cannot afford.
The PCs have asked for a full moratorium to be put in place to halt all development of industrial wind turbines until a comprehensive review is done.
I’ve heard from municipal leaders and residents in my riding who are frustrated that their voices are not being listened to. I will repeat what I’ve said before in this chamber: If the Premier truly believes in the willing-host approach, then she should be listening to the communities who are saying loud and clear, “We do not want industrial wind turbines.”
