HGTV host of Income Property Scott McGillivray once described Prince Edward County as “it is to Toronto what the Hamptons are to New York.”

For now.

Despite the fact that Prince Edward County is classified as an Important Bird Area for migrating birds in North America, despite the fact that taxpayer dollars have gone to promote its tourism and wine industries, and despite the fact that The County is steeped in Canadian Loyalist history, the Ontario government has approved not one but two wind power projects for the area.

People don’t think that’s right.

And they said so yesterday, as more than 300 people gathered at the Mount Tabor Community Hall in Milford to protest.

The Ostrander Point project has already been under appeal for years, and recently heard shocking testimony that a species at risk expert working for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry recommended a permit NOT be granted for the project. The province gave the permit to kill wildlife, and approved the project. Hearings resume October 27th as the Ministry has been directed to produce more documentation on that process.

The community has also appealed the “White Pines” project by Germany-based wpd Canada, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for early November.

All this time, various community groups such as the Point2Point Foundation, the Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust, and the South Shore Conservancy have been working with the federal and provincial governments to have the entire south shore declared off-limits to development like wind power plants.

How does the Ontario government justify its wind power program which is supposed to “save” the environment, while it is despoiling fragile environments and killing wildlife?

These groups could use your help.

Ostrander Point: www.saveostranderpoint.org

White Pines: Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County https://appec.wordpress.com/

Photo: Wind Concerns Ontario