Liberals and NDP refuse to give local residents a say on wind farms

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington – Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2011

Liberals and NDP refuse to give local residents a say on
wind farms
(Queen’s Park) – The Liberals and NDP have teamed up in the Ontario Legislature to defeat a bill
that would have restored local planning authority when it comes to the development of industrial
wind farms.

On December 1, the Local Municipal Democracy Act, 2011, a private members bill introduced by
Prince Edward-Hastings MPP Todd Smith, was defeated in the Legislature by a vote of 45 to 32. All
of the Progressive Conservative MPPs present supported the bill.

The bill sought to address the lack of input that local residents and municipalities have regarding the
construction of industrial wind farms. If passed into law, it would have amended the Green Energy
Act, 2009, which currently provides municipalities with no input or recourse should the Ontario
Government decide to approve an industrial wind farm in their jurisdiction.

“The Green Energy Act gives the Ontario Government the ability to unilaterally push forward its
agenda while completely ignoring local concerns. This continues to be unacceptable to our caucus,”
said Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott. “It is disappointing that the Government missed the
opportunity to give municipalities a say in where wind farms will be established.”

Earlier in the day, Mr. Arnott chaired a large meeting with the PC Caucus and representatives from
Wind Concerns Ontario. Those in attendance included Dave Hurlburt and Janet Vallery of Oppose
Belwood Wind Farm Association.

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Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org