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Municipalities will have say in energy projects: Wynne

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Feb 23rd, 2013
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By Morgan Ian Adams, Collingwood Enterprise-Bulletin January 20, 2013 
 COLLINGWOOD – Ontario Liberal leadership candidate Kathleen Wynne says she supports giving municipalities more autonomy when it comes to siting green energy projects.
In a stop at the studios of local radio station 97.7 The Beach Sunday morning – the first of several on a snowy day that will see her cross Central Ontario over to Peterborough before circling back to end the day in Scarborough – 
 
Wynne said while she supports the ideals of green energy, those projects shouldn’t be allowed to move ahead in the face of community opposition. “I’m not backing away from green, renewable energy,” she said. “But… (the government) did not bring the community in on the buy-in.
We need to move to a willing-host model and we need more municipal autonomy on decision making.”
That’s good news to Clearview Township resident Kevin Elwood, who was invited to the hour-long meet-and-greet with Wynne.
 
Elwood, who owns a nursery and an aerodrome on County Road 91 west of Stayner, has been fighting plans to erect eight wind turbines in the area – including one that will go up in the path of his airstrip.
Elwood has put the project’s proponent, WPD Canada, and the landowners who will host the turbines on notice that he’s considering his legal options. Other residents in the area have joined in on a statement of claim filed against WPD and the landowners. That case has not yet come before the courts.
 
WPD’s plans also include erecting the 500-foot turbines in close proximity to the Collingwood Regional Airport – close enough, claims the municipal services board that oversees the facility, that it will have a negative effect on air safety. WPD has countered that position, claiming the turbines will only have the potential of affecting three flights out of the 12,000 or so takeoffs and landings at the facility.
 
Wynne said she’s only recently heard about the issues with the airport, and intends to bring those to the attention of the Minister of Energy should she be successful in her leadership bid at next weekend’s Liberal convention. “If there’s a safety issue… an economic issue… we need to understand how that happened,” she said. “To have that airport shut down (because of turbines) doesn’t make sense to me.”
 
She also noted that while she hasn’t seen conclusive evidence of negative health effects from turbines, she acknowledged it is a complex issue. The same goes for setbacks from residential homes.
“We need more municipal autonomy, and a better process in siting (projects),” said Wynne.
 
Elwood provided her with information, noting the candidate – who is a close second in the delegate count to leadership frontrunner Sandra Pupatello – “seems to be interested in following up.
“She’s willing to modify the Green Energy Act,” he said. “She’s really seeing a lot of negative impacts, and I think willing to reconsider some of these projects.” WPD’s Renewable Energy Approval application is presently in the review stage by the Ministry of Environment prior to being posted
to the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry for public comment.
Wynne also said that along with becoming premier – should she win the leadership – she will also take on the mantle of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
“We need to reconnect with small towns and rural communities,” she said. “As a party and a government, we need to understand they’re important.”
 
Wynne cited the recently completed realignment of Highway 26.
“The project is small in the scheme of things, but it creates opportunity for growth in small towns,” she said. “We’re at a juncture in history that it’s important that people in small towns and rural areas know that we understand that all of Ontario needs to be tended to.”
 
Wynne’s visit was partly facilitated by Wasaga Beach resident Trent Gow, who knew Wynne when he lived in her Toronto-area riding. “I really respect her views,” said Gow, who also does some commentary on the radio station. “I always went to her with issues, and she was always open and accessible.” “She recognizes that somebody has to step forward and earn rural Ontario’s support again,” said Elwood.

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