FIT has Ontario economically out of shape: MPP Smith
Administrator | Mar 05, 2012 | Comments 24
Prince Edward Hastings MP Todd Smith says it will be a week of wind energy at Queen’s Park.
“Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak will be introducing a Bill on Wednesday in the Legislature to drastically change the FIT program in the province,” said Smith. “On Thursday, the Legislature will be debating second reading of a resolution by Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson to impose a moratorium on wind development in Ontario.”
The recent momentum on wind turbines in the Legislature started before Christmas when Smith put forward a bill aimed at restoring municipal planning and zoning authorities for these projects.
Smith and Hudak said European countries including Britain and Germany which once led the way on wind power, are now pulling back rapidly.
“The German Economic Minister referred to Germany’s version of the FIT program as “a threat to the economy,” said Smith, noting that since his bill was defeated in the House, “evidence has only mounted that wind power is helping drive up electricity rates in the province, is killing jobs and is only serving to make the province more reliable on natural gas generation to back up intermittent wind power.
“My office has been working very closely with Tim Hudak’s office to take a look at how we can craft a clean energy policy that actually makes sense. We want to make sure that circumstances like Prince Edward County, where the province steamrolls the wishes of a municipality, simply cannot happen in Ontario.
“This isn’t just a Progressive Conservative thing. In Britain, all the major parties called on the government to get out of wind power. In Germany, where they went after solar power, their power rates became second highest on the continent, next to only Denmark that claims to be a “world wind-energy champion”. If anyone tells you wind energy isn’t raising your electricity bill, they’re lying to you,” said Smith. “When you raise electricity rates, you make it tougher to attract new business. Ontario’s unemployment rate has been higher than the National average for 61 months. One thing is obvious to me: FIT has Ontario economically out of shape.”
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Don Ross chooses “hope”. Like others who have the best interests of the planet at heart he hopes that wind power will reduce our co2 emissions. There is little evidence that such is the case. It certainly has not worked in Europe. I also have hope. I hope that the provincial government is not going to move forward on an expensive and and damaging boondoggle which will benifit no one but the multinationals who own these turbines. I am afraid that both Mr. Ross and I are mere dreamers. There is a fine line between hope and fantasy.
Your tax dollars hard at work!!
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1144924–ontario-power-why-ontario-effectively-paid-its-neighbours-214-584-24-in-one-weekend-hour-to-take-our-power?bn=1
Perfect, let’s dam rivers and flood marshlands!
Beth –hydro–water power is the best way to go
Ask Treat Hull about it
Solar is bad, wind is bad, oil and gas are bad, coal is scary and nuclear isn’t that great either what with the spent fuel cells being radioactive for generations. Everyone talks about how horrible each option is.
Instead of constantly fighting against the wrong choices, lets start meaningful dialogue on what is a good option or what our choices are to provide a sustainable future for the planet.
Just a suggestion…………
@ Don Ross
It is clear that “you believe whatever serves your purpose”. I must admit to a curiosity as to what motivates you to approach this in such a self righteous, condescending and presumptuous fashion. Of one thing I am sure, your children and grandchildren will come to understand an aspect of human nature which by your commentary seems to escape you, that is,the nature of consequences through your example.
Mr. Ross neglects to mention that Germany is going back to coal in order to get off nuclear. They’re doing this, by the way, after getting out of the solar business because it was killing their economy.
Mr.Ross is Mr. Coal. The power source that is contributing more to climate change than the oil sands production.
The rest of us choose hope as well. We choose to hope he’s wrong!
As a result of Germany’s energy policy, 600,000 families have had their power cut off because they could no longer afford it http://thegwpf.org/international-news/5035-green-germany-half-a-million-families-sitting-in-the-dark.html
These high prices are affecting industry as well http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,816669,00.html
Killing off endangered species and locating monstrous IWTs next to an Important Birding Area, and smack in the middle of one of North America’s biggest flyways, is not what I would call living in hope.
The PC’s and their followers are totally out of touch with reality. At this defining moment for civilization to face the climate crisis and make progress into this 21st Century, they want to return to the way business was done in the 20th Century. How do you plan to explain this to our descendants? If you care enough about our children and grand-children to see a good example of what is really happening in the big wide world beyond PEC, have a look at this link, but in the end, you will believe whatever suits your purposes . Live in fear or live in hope….I choose hope. http://www.wri.org/stories/2011/06/germanys-nuclear-phase-out-renewable-energy-plans-are-clear
Coal: cheap, abundant, clean.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71kckb8hhOQ
Thanks Todd! Great to have someone who sees through the smoke and mirrors of what this Government calls Green. Its about “Green bucks” and the residents of Ontario are the ones putting them out and will not benefit from Industrial Wind Turbines and the inefficient energy they produce. The destruction of what we in rural Ontario hold dear will be felt for years to come and with the economy in a precarious position, why push it over the edge. We will all pay dearly for this fiasco and we won’t be “Greener”.
Thanks Chris. It was very easy to respond. I just sent mine off to the MPP”s.
I also encourage everyone to submit their voice to the resistance movement.
It seems that the truth about industrial wind development is out…in the U.K. at least! Here is an article published in Britain in ‘The Spectator’ called “The Winds of Change – The government has finally seen through the wind-farm scam – but why did it take them so long?”
http://www.spectator.co.uk/essays/all/7684233/the-winds-of-change.thtml
In light of that…just a reminder…today is the last day to support Lisa Thompson’s motion calling on the legislature to pass a moratorium on further industrial wind turbine development in Ontario.
Please, if you haven’t already, take a moment to send your support for the bill to all MPPs. It’s so easy…just go to http://ontario-wind-resistance.org/ , scroll down to Lisa Thompson’s Bill and hit “CLICK HERE”. Just add your name and email address to the pre-written letter and hit “SUBMIT”.
“Our shared responsibility at all times is to respect the expressed will of our municipal councils.” – Dalton McGuinty – March 6, 2012 – Ontario Legislature discussing Toronto transit funding.
Now when it comes to industrial wind turbines at Ostrander Point ….
I believe Richard meant that our council has been ignored by the provincial government. Correct me if I am wrong but did council not send their concerns to the government a year ago or longer. Has there ever been any response?
So you don’t think Hudak is being hypocritical with his “urging” of provincial intervention, then?
I’m concerned he is, and that our wishes will be even easier to “steamroller” over than Toronto council’s.
DiFferent animals.
City of Toronto goes to the province and says “we want to do this”. Province says, “Okay, here’s the money”. Toronto says “Wait, we want to change the plan – again”. Province says “We signed an agreement with you based on _____ and now you want _____? The agreement wasn’ for that”
Toronto says “Yeah….give us the money anyway”
Prince Edward County NEVER asked the province for wind turbines. In fact, it has repeatedly told the province to back off. The province has no agreement with council, in fact, it’s been ignored by council. Totally different animals. Not even remotely similar circumstances.
Todd Smith: “…where the province steamrolls the wishes of a municipality, simply cannot happen in Ontario.”
Yet: “Tim Hudak urges Dalton McGuinty to overrule Toronto council…”
Who cares about Toronto?
As someone who worked in Toronto once upon a time, streetcars are a joke and the subways are efficient. McGuinty was for the subways, the people of Toronto voted for subways when they voted for Ford. McGuinty even dangled the 8.4 billion for subways over the head of Toronto voters last fall.
Typical Dalton, promise one thing – do another.
Todd Smith, above: “My office has been working very closely with Tim Hudak’s office to take a look at how we can craft a clean energy policy that actually makes sense. We want to make sure that circumstances like Prince Edward County, where the province steamrolls the wishes of a municipality, simply cannot happen in Ontario.”
And yet, just today: Tim Hudak urges Dalton McGuinty to overrule Toronto council on subways
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1141650–ttc-tim-hudak-urges-dalton-mcguinty-to-overrule-toronto-council-on-subways?bn=1
Thank-you Todd! Keep up the good work.
Right on Todd and what was said at your Town Hall meeting about the rising cost of electricity causing companies to leave Ontario seems to be playing out.
Keep up your good work and try and make Ontario get out of its “have not province” status
Thank you for all of your hard work – keep up the pressure Todd!