Ottawa Wind Concerns is a not-for-profit community group that provides information on wind power projects in Ontario and specifically the Ottawa area.

Wind turbines are an industrial use of the land, and represent a high-impact form of power generation for intermittent, out of phase with demand supply.

We began work in 2008 when a 20-megawatt wind power project was proposed for the North Gower-Richmond area of Ottawa, as well as West Carleton, Appleton, South Branch*,  and North Stormont/Nation Rise/Crysler Wind Farm*. (*the projects did get approval and are now operating)

As of April 2024, the Independent Electricity System Operator or IESO in Ontario is working on the launch of a new Request for Proposals which will include wind and solar. Municipal approval of any proposal is now mandatory in Ontario for any industrial wind power site to proceed. Ottawa’s Energy Evolution document makes it clear, Ottawa is open to new industrial wind power sites.

Our view: industrial-scale power generation projects are a conflicting land use and that without thorough cost-benefit analyses, wind power remains an expensive, low-density, intermittent and weather-dependent power source that is high risk to wildlife and produces harmful noise pollution.

The Chair of Ottawa Wind Concerns is Jane Wilson, long-time rural resident and volunteer. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for services to rural Ontario.