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Brinston wind farm, Kathleen Wynne, Liberal Ontario government, Lisa MacLeod, North Gower wind farm, Ontario Ministry Environment, Ostrander Point wind power, Ottawa wind concerns, Prince Edward County wind projects, Robert Lyman, Shanly wind farm, South Branch Wind Opposition group, Wind Concerns Ontario
Energy economist Bob Lyman addressed the crowd, noting that the day before, the Ontario Energy Board announced yet another rate hike, effective May 1st.
“Ontario’s renewable energy plan is unaffordable,” Lyman said. “We’re just beginning to feel the costs, which will amount to billions every year to be paid by Ontario ratepayers.”
Because wind power is produced when it’s not needed, he said, Ontario is shipping power out at “depressed” rates. “Ontario is subsidizing New York ratepayers by $500 million a year.”
Wind Concerns Ontario president Jane Wilson said that the Ontario government is not listening to concerns about the rising price of electricity, about health problems, property value loss, or the environment. “Right now,” she said, “the citizens of Prince Edward County are having to raise money to fight their own government, the Ministry of the Environment, which has approved a wind power project at Ostrander Point. The government is not doing its job.”
Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod noted the cost of electricity in Ontario is hurting small and medium sized businesses, while huge corporations are benefitting from wind power subsidies. “The Premier says she is listening,” MacLeod said, “but I’m not sure who she’s listening to.”
The text of Bob Lyman’s remarks is available here: Remarks for April6event-RLyman, 2013-1
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[Photo courtesy Lisa MacLeod]
Ottawa Wind Concerns 
Reblogged this on Northgowerwindactiongroup's Blog.
When people realize that their own Mayor, Jim Watson, was a McGuinty faithful then the cards are stacked against Ottawa having fair and honourable discussion on Wind Development.
Mr Watson was Minister of Municipal Affairs when the Green Energy Act was passed in 2009. Presumably, as the dozens of municipalities voiced concern over loss of land use planning control in the Act, Mr Watson could have intervened–he certainly would have been aware. We have heard him repeat the Premier’s mantra that you “couldn’t have a patchwork of regulations.” Yes, you could–it’s called democracy, and the right of communities to choose their own path.
Another friend of the McGuinty family, Peter Hume, was president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario at that time, and remains a City of Ottawa Councillor to this day.
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