Wind rally to protest removal of industrial turbines

On Tuesday, Oct. 29th, the first industrial wind turbine component is set to come down in South Marysburgh. Supporters are seek participants for one last rally to “shame” the Ontario government’s decision to cancel the project.

Jen Ackerman

“Cranes are being delivered and assembled and workers are arriving from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to do the dirty work,” said Jen Ackerman, County resident and landowner with a turbine on her property. “Not one of them, or WPD or any land owners, or wind supporters feel good about this. It should not be happening.”

In a final last effort to draw attention to the cancellation of the White Pines Canada project, Ackerman is hosting a gathering at 1279 Royal Road, Milford beginning at 9 a.m. “for a peaceful demonstration, shaming the Ford government for making such a poor, backwards decision.”

“As many media ,groups, journalists, supporters of wind, and all concerned citizens are encouraged to come. Signs, blue wind shirts and matching hats are available, or be creative, and bring your own. A big crowd would be fantastic.
So lets all get together to shame this Ford “wrecking ball” government. Who knows what could happen. There is always hope for change.”

The first phase of work involves cranes lowering the towers to the ground from October to the end of January 2020. The second phase of decommissioning is planned to begin in April 2020 for the removal and remediation of infrastructure.

wpd Canada had indicated it would seek to recoup $100 million it put into the project, but it is still not clear how much the provincial government agreed to pay. The legislation requires wpd to cover the cost of decomissioning and restoring the land. The law also bars the company from suing the government.

The German wind company’s initial plan was for 29 turbines but following years of legal battles, led by the Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, over protection of species at risk and heritage preservation, the project was reduced to nine.

Only four of the 100-metre tall turbines were erected, but were not put into service before the legislation.

Because the renewable energy approval has been revoked, the ministry made a new regulation under the Environmental Protection Act and an associated technical closure document, to govern the closure of the facility.

The facility consists of the nine turbine areas and one transformer substation, associated ancillary equipment, systems and technologies including on-site access roads, underground cabling, distribution or transmission lines and storage areas.

Participants at an earlier rally at the industrial turbine site in Milford.