Nova Scotia's largest wind farm gets green light

South Canoe, a $200–million wind farm, will be built near New Ross, Nova Scotia.

The Utility and Review Board issued a decision dismissing an appeal by a residents' group – Friends of South Canoe – and the owners of a local golf course, the Homburg Land Bank.

"The intent of the planning strategy is to protect citizens, and we feel that wasn't done," said Emery Peters, who speaks for Friends of South Canoe. "Council could have been representing citizens and not the developer."

The UARB decision said the councillors of the District of Chester followed the rules when determining that the development complies with the municipal planning strategy. 

The board said council fulfilled its duty in weighing many competing interests, including concerns from residents worried about the potential impact of 34 turbines on their health and property values.

The wind farm, which will be Nova Scotia’s largest, is due to go into service and supply electricity to 32,000 homes by January 2015.

It is owned by Oxford Frozen Foods, Minas Basin Pulp and Power and Nova Scotia Power. The utility has a 49 per cent stake in the project which it said will lower the construction cost and make the electricity less expensive than from other sources.

"We are pleased to hear of the outcome of the UARB process," said Mary Frances Lynch, who speaks for the developers. "Now we are waiting the outcome of another appeal on N.S. Power participation in the project."

The court of appeal will hear a complaint from an independent power producer in November.