Renewable Energy

Realizing the Contribution of Wind Power in Ontario

The GBA continues to support renewable energy, including wind power, as a vital replacement for carbon-based technology. We have used our research into the impact of wind farms to identify two key issues for the Ontario Government and the Ontario Power Authority:

• The degree to which gaps in the regulatory regimes create the risk of doing environmental harm
• The degree to which gaps in the regulatory regime are triggering stakeholder resistance, thus slowing down progress in moving to sustainable energy solutions

Our approach in dealing with government agencies and ministries is to bring well thought out, fact based solutions and then be prepared to work with the governing bodies to make the necessary changes to the extremely complex regulatory and Environmental Assessment regimes which govern Ontario’s wind farm projects.

Windmills near Kincardine, Ontario

Our solutions are focused on changing the OPA’s Supply Mix Report Ranking Methodology and the MOE’s Environmental Assessment Processes to include new protocols for measuring cumulative environmental impacts from wind farms, grid extensions and any other nearby infrastructure projects and a set of standard criteria for assessing visual impacts.

Once the modified assessment and ranking criteria become available we recommend that the MNR’s Crown Land Use Policy Atlas be updated to reflect suitable site locations for wind farms which provide the needed renewable energy while minimizing environmental and social costs.

We believe this would provide an excellent vehicle for directing potential wind farm developers.