Council backs call for municipal support as condition for wind farm approval

Council here has added its support to two resolutions opposing the province’s approval of wind farms in communities without municipal support.

At the May 10 meeting,  council supported a resolution from the Municipality of Dutton Dunwich where Invenergy was awarded a contract for the Strong Breeze Wind project without the municipality’s support.

The resolution calls on the province to make a municipal support resolution a mandatory requirement in the Independent Electricity System Operator’s process for awarding contracts.

The resolution also notes the support of non-local First Nations communities was a factor in the decision to award the contract. It calls on the province to limit any points for aboriginal participation in a power project to First Nations with a comprehensive claim on the land where the project will be built.

Council also supported a resolution from North Frontenac calling for a municipal support resolution to be a required element of the process. It also requests municipalities be required to pass such resolutions in open session following a public consultation process.

The North Frontenac resolution also included the same request for limitation of aboriginal participation points as the Dutton Dunwich resolution and states that any announcement of successful bidders includes an explanation of points awarded to each bid.