Since this news release was issued, two more municipalities in Ontario have asked the Wynne government to change the wind power bid process, so communities can plan for sustainable development — and not have power plants forced on them

NEWS RELEASE

Plevna, June 15, 2016

Municipalities call on Ontario government to make municipal support mandatory for wind power bids

Seventy-five municipalities have now endorsed resolutions that call on 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.

Mayor Ron Higgins of North Frontenac, who put forward a resolution now supported by other municipalities, says making municipal support mandatory is key to fairness in the process. “It will force proponents to seriously address local concerns when developing these proposals, rather than just going through the motions,” he says.

The IESO process allowed municipalities to express their concerns about wind power projects but that had little impact on the outcome, Higgins says. In spite of the fact that then Energy Minister Chiarelli said a contract in an unwilling community was “virtually impossible,” three of five wind power contracts were awarded in municipalities that did not support the projects proposed by developers.

The municipality of Dutton Dunwich, which also created a mandatory support motion, held a referendum on the wind power project bid there — 84 percent of residents said no. The municipality is now fighting a contract award.

Municipalities across Ontario support these resolutions, including former Energy Minister Chiarelli’s home municipality of Ottawa. Municipalities in Northern Ontario also endorse the resolution.

“Communities know what type of development is appropriate and sustainable,” says North Frontenac Mayor Higgins. “Our resolution points out that utility-scale wind power does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions or appreciably benefit the environment. In fact, in our case, it would have harmed it.”

The recent Environmental Review Tribunal decision revoking the approval for the Ostrander Point wind turbine project underscores the importance of community input into the process of awarding contracts and approving power projects. The community in Prince Edward County went through two appeal hearings and two hearings in court before succeeding in its goal of protecting the environment and endangered wildlife from a power project.

Recent feedback published by the IESO shows that the current bid process was resoundingly condemned by municipal officials and community groups for a lack of openness and transparency.

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Contact:

Mayor Ron Higgins, North Frontenac, 613-884-9736

Mandatory Municipal Support Resolution

1. Adelaide-Metcalfe, Middlesex County
2. Alfred & Plantagenet, Prescott-Russell County
3. Amaranth, Dufferin County
4. Asphodel-Norwood. Peterborough County
5. Algonquin Highlands, Haliburton County
6. Arran-Elderslie, Bruce County
7. Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Huron County
8. Bayham, Elgin County
9. Bluewater, Huron
10. Brockton, Bruce
11. Brooke-Alvinston, Lambton
12. Bruce Mines, Algoma District
13. Cavan-Monaghan, Peterborough
14. Central Elgin, Elgin
15. Central Huron, Huron
16. Chamberlain, Timiskaming District
17. Chatsworth, Grey County
18. Clarington, Region of Durham
19. Dutton-Dunwich, Elgin
20. East Ferris, Nippissing District
21. Elgin, County of
22. Essex, Essex County
23. Enniskillen, Lambton County
24. Gananoque, Leeds and Grenville County
25. Georgian Bluffs, Grey
26. Grey Highlands, Grey
27. Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Peterborough
28. Hornepayne, Algoma
29. Howick, Huron
30. Huron, County of
31. Huron-Kinloss, Bruce
32. Kawartha Lakes, City of
33. Killarney, Sudbury District
34. Kincardine, Bruce
35. Lakeshore, Essex
36. Lambton, County of
37. LaSalle, Essex
38. Laurentian Hills, Renfrew County
39. Leeds and the Thousand Island, Leeds and Grenville
40. Lennox & Addington, County of
41. Mapleton, Wellington
42. Magnetawan, Parry Sound District
43. Marathon, Thunder Bay District
44. McDougall, Parry Sound
45. McNabb Braeside, Renfrew County
46. Meaford
47. Newbury, Middlesex
48. Mono, Dufferin County
49. Morris-Turnberry, Huron
50. Nairn and Hyman, Sudbury District
51. North Frontenac, Frontenac County
52. North Glengarry, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
53. North Grenville, Leeds and Grenville
54. North Perth, Perth
55. North Stormont, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry
56. Northern Bruce Peninsula, Bruce
57. Ottawa, City of
58. Peterborough, County of
59. Plympton-Wyoming, Lambton
60. Prescott-Russell, United Counties of
61. Prince Edward, County of
62. Rainy River, Rainy River District
63. Ramara, Simcoe County
64. South Bruce Peninsula, Bruce
65. Southgate, Grey
66. Tillsonburg, Oxford County
67. Trent Lakes, Peterborough
68. Tudor and Cashel, Hastings County
69. Tweed, Hastings
70. Val Rita-Harty, Cochrane District
71. Warwick, Lambton
72. Wainfleet, Niagara Region
73. West Grey, Grey
74. West Lincoln, Niagara
75. Zorra, Oxford