Latest news with #MunicipalSupportResolution
Hamilton Spectator
24-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Will Southwest Middlesex Say Yes to Wind Turbines?
SOUTHWEST MIDDLESEX – A recent presentation by Venfor Inc. proposing the construction of 17 wind turbines within the municipality has ignited a strong public backlash, as residents raise concerns over environmental impacts, long-term land use, and community transparency. On July 16, representatives from Venfor Inc. appeared before council to present their plan to participate in Ontario's Long-Term 2 (LT2) electricity procurement process. The company seeks municipal approval in the form of a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR), a requirement for its bid submission to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) this fall. Peter Budd, a founding shareholder of Venfor Inc., emphasized the urgency of Ontario's energy shortage. 'We know we are short of electricity in Ontario,' Budd told council. 'We are importing. The demand is going to double by 2050.' He positioned the project as an opportunity for the municipality to secure new revenue streams through a Community Benefits Agreement, estimating $300,000 annually for every 100 megawatts of energy generated. Each proposed turbine would produce 6.1 megawatts, with the current configuration surpassing 100 megawatts. The company claims to have signed option and lease agreements with 17 landowners and offered $30,000 per year to each for hosting a turbine, potentially over 20 to 30 years. Deputy Mayor Mike Sholdice raised questions about the turbine count and compensation, while Councillor Ed Myers expressed concerns about groundwater contamination, citing 'horror stories in other municipalities.' Budd assured that a full hydrogeological study would be conducted, referencing lessons learned from past issues in Chatham-Kent. Despite these assurances, residents have voiced overwhelming opposition. A Facebook post by Deputy Mayor Sholdice requesting feedback on the proposal garnered over 100 public comments within days, with the vast majority opposing the project. Residents cited concerns about noise pollution, aesthetics, health impacts, and damage to wildlife and farmland. 'Wind turbines ruin the landscape and take away any sense of peace that comes with country living,' wrote one resident. Others questioned the lifespan and reliability of the technology, warning that 'they start severely degrading around 10–15 years' despite being marketed for 20–30 years of use. Water safety emerged as a particularly emotional flashpoint. One commenter claimed, 'This was our well water immediately after they started pile driving the H beams into the ground,' accompanied by a photo of visibly contaminated water. 'They hammered 100-foot steel beams into the aquifer… and the vibrations never let the sediment settle,' another added. These stories have prompted fears of long-term environmental degradation and public health risks. In response, a petition titled Say No to Wind Turbines in Southwest Middlesex was launched online and has begun collecting signatures from residents opposing the project. The sentiment shared among many is that while renewable energy is necessary, this particular development may impose too great a cost on the local community. The presentation also noted that Venfor intends to include First Nations equity partnerships and comply with all provincial regulations, including an Agricultural Impact Assessment and Environmental Review. However, some residents remained unconvinced, with several noting that Venfor is primarily a development firm and may sell the project once permits and agreements are secured. 'Venfor is not the company seeing the project through to decommissioning,' one commenter wrote. 'They won't be the ones honouring the original terms.' Mayor Allan Mayhew thanked the delegation and confirmed that council would deliberate further. 'The proposal cannot proceed without municipal support,' he said. Council is expected to make a decision by mid-October to meet the IESO's deadline. For now, the community remains sharply divided. While some landowners see financial incentive, many residents are calling for more public meetings and transparency before any resolution is passed. As one citizen wrote: 'If council votes yes, they should put them in their own backyard first and tell us how it works out.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Ottawa Citizen
11-06-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Dunrobin resident finds prior 'misconduct' by engineer on new battery project
An engineer who presented safety data about battery energy storage systems to the city's Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee last week had his registration with a professional body yanked in February after he 'admitted that he demonstrated professional misconduct.' Article content Stephen Ramsay, an engineer with a PhD from Cambridge University, spoke to the committee on June 5. He was one of 60-plus speakers with a five-minute time slot to address a controversial proposal to build a six-hectare battery energy storage system (BESS) facility on Marchurst Road near Dunrobin. Article content Article content Article content Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., through Evolugen, a Canadian company, was seeking a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR), an instrument introduced by the provincial government to gauge a municipality's interest in building new energy projects. Article content Article content BESSes are needed as Ontario grapples with increased demand for energy, say proponents of the $650 million project. But one of the most contentious issues around BESSes, which use lithium-ion batteries to store electricity during off-peak periods in order to release it during peak demand periods, is the possibility of fire. Article content Ramsay told the committee he was speaking on the scope of the work that was done by Calvin Consulting in support of the Evolugen application. Article content 'We were responsible for modelling the consequences of potential fires from the BESS facility and the consequences in terms of the emission of hazardous gasses, particularly focusing on hydrogen fluoride,' said Ramsay. Article content Article content BESS Systems have transitioned to ones that use the LFP chemistry, which is used in the current application, he said. (LFP batteries are also known as lithium iron phosphate batteries.) Article content Article content 'This is a process which has occurred over many years during which we have been actively involved in this aspect of BESS projects,' Ramsay told the committee. 'The motivation for this, of course, was to try to improve the safety by reducing the incidences of thermal runaway and the consequences resulting from fires.' Article content In response to questions from Orléans East-Cumberland Ward Coun. Matt Luloff asking him to simplify his comments, Ramsay responded: 'Basically what we're saying is that as we've changed from the old chemistry, which seemed to be essentially inherently dangerous, to the one which is LFP, which we are beginning to see is much, much safer.'
Ottawa Citizen
07-06-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Massive Battery Energy Storage System project sparks controversy at Ottawa committee meeting
Article content More than 60 speakers lined up Thursday to speak to the City of Ottawa's Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee over a proposal to build a vast electrical storage facility in West Carleton. Article content The subject of the marathon meeting was a $650-million Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) pitched for a parcel of land on Marchurst Road about one kilometre from Thomas A. Dolan Parkway, southwest of Dunrobin. Article content Article content Article content Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., through Evolugen, a Canadian company, was seeking a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR) to help clear the way for the project. Article content Article content Essentially, a BESS is a massive collective battery — in this case a lithium ion battery — to store electricity and distribute it as needed. The proposed property totals about 81 hectares of land. The electrical storage system would occupy about four hectares, with an additional six hectares used for an access road, a stormwater management pond and a substation. Article content Proponents for the project argued that the project was part of the solution as Ontario grappled with increased demand for energy. The BESS and others like it would add capacity and allow for flexible operation of the electrical grid as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions because BESSes reduce the need for power plants during times of peak demand. Article content Article content 'Our members have delivered dozens of projects just like this one that you are considering today, safely and reliably,' said Andrew Thiele, senior director of policy and government affairs with Energy Storage Canada, which represents about 110 members. Article content Article content 'Ottawa is in fierce competition with tech hubs around the world to attract talent and capital that empower Canadian businesses to thrive in these rapidly evolving sectors,' Thiel said. 'Often one of the most important concerns raised by our prospective members is that there is a continued and growing need for clean power.' Article content But there has been a firestorm over the project. Residents say they were surprised to learn about the proposal and the speed at which it had moved forward. City council rejected another proposal from Evolugen for a similar facility near Fitzroy Harbour last year.
