Mayor says there were too many “issues” and not enough municipal control. Samsung’s proposed agreement demanded all building permits, access to roads and virtually everything they needed, in return for payments of $180,000 per year for the wind power project. Each of the 56 turbines would have netted Samsung $775,000 per year, under the government’s Feed In Tariff subsidy program.

The community held a meeting a few weeks ago, featuring a local Realtor who said property values in Southgate would disappear, and University of Guelph economics professor Ross McKitrick, who said wind power is expensive and ineffective as a reliable source of power.

Here is the news story.

Samsung Project Dead

(Southgate) – The large wind turbine project in Southgate has apparently been stopped.

Mayor Brian Milne says the Samsung, Pattern Energy project needed willing host status from the Township to move ahead.

At last night’s meeting, Milne says Council voted unanimously to stop the wind  project by declaring itself an unwilling host.

Milne says there was no way the township could resolve a number of issues it had with the project, without more control.

He says it was apparent the project would tear the community apart.

Samsung needed willing host status to move ahead with its 50 turbine, 120-megawatt wind farm proposal.

Milne applauds the Province for giving them that out clause, and the ability to say no.

But Milne wishes the Province gave them site plan control.

Instead, he says council had to say yes, with no conditions.

He says just three weeks ago Southgate was in the process of considering being a willing host.

But Milne says that was only if they could come to terms on a agreement on a number of issues — which included a good neighbour policy and issues around health and property values.

But Milne says they couldn’t come to those terms, and they had no choice but to stop the project.

The decision comes…

Read the full story here.