Zorra Township says more info needed before approving future wind turbine, energy projects

Zorra Township wants more information about potential impacts of energy projects before they give approval of any new proposals.

Their council voted unanimously this week on a resolution not to give municipal support resolutions (MSR) to wind turbine projects or other future energy projects, until they know more about potential agricultural, health, or environmental impacts they could have.

The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and the Ministry of Energy oversee Ontario's power system.

The IESO is focused on procuring about 2,000 megawatts of electricity from new energy sources, as part of the province's Second Long-Term Procurement (LT2) plan.

Through the plan, a MSR ensures municipalities have the right to "obtain project information from any developer" before considering giving approval and sending the proposal to the province.

Zorra Township Mayor Marcus Ryan said the township does not have enough information from developers or from the province regarding potential impacts energy projects, such as wind turbines, would have.

Without that information, council does not feel comfortable approving new projects.  

"It is really challenging for a municipality to have the information needed to make that decision," he said. 

"We don't have a Ministry of Health or a Ministry of Environment or a Ministry of Agriculture to assess these things. But the current process requires us, if we're going to defend the decision, to have that kind of knowledge. So, council said if we're not informed enough to make a decision, we're not going to do that because we have to be able to defend these decisions to residents."

Ryan said the township is not against installing new energy projects, but they wish the province would provide more information on this as part of the procurement plan.

"Everybody agreed that, we're not saying yes, we're not saying no. We're saying we don't have enough information to say yes or no."

Some residents and farmers in Zorra Township have voiced opinions on wind turbine projects, with Ryan saying some have said they're in favour of them and others are against the idea. 

Feedback from both sides is also something that Lee Griffi has heard. Griffi is editor and main contributor of the Woodstock Ingersoll Echo who has been following the developments in Zorra Township.

"Those in favour kind of stay quiet," said Griffi.

"The people that want them on their lands to make some money and then maybe they believe in green wind power and that's of course totally their choice, but they're the quiet ones. It's the ones who don't want it who are the noisy ones." 

In a statement to CBC, a spokesperson for the Ontario energy minister's office said the province will not impose energy projects onto communities and "always supports the will of municipalities."

The spokesperson said the provincial government will continue to work with municipalities "to meet the increased demand for energy across Ontario by delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy across the province."