“Wind Concerns Ontario supports responsible, environmentally sound solutions to our energy demands and environmental challenges.”
WCO is not against wind, because they support it, Nor do they wish to expose the drivers behind it as that would expose people like McMurtry. What environment challenges? MMGW…….climate change?
WCO was set-up as controlled opposition in order to control those who are fighting for their land.
What is their mantra?
Be respectful at meetings put on by wind companies.
Be respectful of council……that didn’t stand up to the GEA.
Vote for Hudak
Note – (You may get your health study once the thousands of wind turbines are erected. It is quite possible that once all the turbines are erected, the govt. will say that there is a danger to health .. Everyone must move off the affected lands into towns and cities, because the govt. cares deeply about your health. One of the core goals of Agenda 21 is to move people into “human settlements” and “re-wild” the rural areas. Sustainability!
So keep on asking for the health study – it will make a future govt. look good………..of course you won’t live in the country any longer. On the bight side – you got your health study and never had to expose the scam………good work!.)
(Queen’s Park) –“Today I introduced a bill at the Legislature to give Ontario municipalities and local residents a voice in the planning of wind energy projects,” said Sylvia Jones, MPP (Dufferin-Caledon).
Under the Liberal’s Green Energy Act, 2009, new wind projects will be built with no municipal planning control and limited public input. Jones wants to restore the traditional municipal planning oversight role with her Planning Amendment Act (Renewable Energy Undertakings), 2010.
“The Progressive Conservative Party and I raised concerns about the Green Energy Act from the very beginning,” said Jones. “My private members bill will return the power for planning renewable energy projects to municipalities who can be responsive to the needs of the community.”
“Municipalities know what works best for them,” said Jones. “The planning process is not new. Municipal planning has worked well in the past, and if given the opportunity can work well in the future. The voices of our communities and concerned Ontarians should not be shut down.”
Jones’ bill amends the Planning Act to reverse the effect of the amendments made to the Planning Act by Schedule K to the Green Energy Act, 2009. Those amendments exempted renewable energy undertakings from the normal application of the Planning Act, including policy statements, provincial plans, official plans, demolition control by-laws, zoning by-laws and development permit regulations and by-laws.
“The Green Energy Act shows little respect to municipalities and Ontario families,” said Jones. “I want to give residents across Ontario the power to refine renewable energy projects for their community.”
Having run as an Independent in the 2007 Ont. Provincial election and knowing the contents of the Conservative election platform, understanding this email is easy. It’s called “controlled opposition”.
The Politicians understand that the average voter is………well, dumber than a box of rocks.
Especially when you consider – the Conservatives promised to install more wind than the Liberals, if elected
So, why would any Conservative member come out against a piece of legislation they would have more than likely implemented themselves?
Hope!
It’s a false Hope – but, to the dumbed down masses, a false hope is better than nothing. It’s not of course, but they don’t understand that.
The Harris Conservatives worked hard to destroy Ont. for eight years. (Harris is a Bilderberger)
The people were angry, rightfully so, and they threw out Harris and his band of Agenda21/NWO criminals.
McGuinty and the Liberals promised to make things right if elected. Instead they continued to carry out Agenda 21/NWO.
Today, nearing the end of the Liberals second term, the people of Ont. are angry once again and can’t wait to throw out McGuinty and his band of Agenda 21/NWO criminals.
Now we have the Conservatives offering hope to those who’ve been treated with disrespect by the Liberals.
The people of Ontario will elect the Conservatives in 2011, likely with a majority.
And guess what – the Conservatives will continue moving Agenda 21/NWO forward.
Just how stupid is the average Ontarian?
George Carlin put it this way “the politicians are there to give you the idea you have a choice – you don’t”.
.
Comments from the Wind Concerns Ontario website, a 42 group coalition fighting wind farms in Ont. They actually put the above Conservative bunk on their website.
Here are some comments- This is mind-blowing stuff. Are these people really fighting wind farms, is WCO part of the controlled opposition, or are they just plain stupid.
The jury is out……….anyway here’s some comments-
-Thank you for doing this. I will be following the outcome of the bill you introduced to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
-yes, finally someone with a bit of common sense.
-I appreciate this effort, but this does not ensure that municipalities will site turbines at distances that can safeguard people. Just have a look at the Town or Essex who allowed 450 metres prior to the GEA. Nor does it ensure that a proper cost benefit analysis is done before such projects are undertaken within a municipality or that the proponent are reputable businesses upon which residents can trust to follow through with their promises. Many are nothing short of snake oil salesmen
-I have to echo ruralgrubby here. Our township is very pro wind, for several stupid reasons. They were supportive of moratoriums eleswhere…just not in their township! Yeah, try try reasoning with that. Although restoring some local decision making is positive, industrial wind turbines do not belong anywhere…I want to see a bill introduced that says that.
-A very GOOD step in the RIGHT direction.
Keeping fingers crossed.
-This is a start at least. Thank you for this and I will follow with support.
Perhaps those at Queens Park will start listening to the people.
Wind Concerns Ontario – Making it way too easy for the politicians to shove Agenda 21/NWO down our collective throats.
If Sylvia Jones was so concerned about the GEA, why has it taken her so long to introduce a private members Bill?
The 2011 election campaign is now underway!
Vote Conservative!
Fools!
Agenda 21/NWO is almost complete
Read Cloak of Green and Green Agenda- top of blog
Watch Freedom 21/Agenda 21- last video on side bar
Editor: First I wish to thank a reader – Norma, from South Africa for sending me this information.
Since 2006 I have been educating people on wind farms and the scam of MMGW. Unfortunately ever time I brought up the fact that wind farms are a fraud as is MMGW, I ended up being shunned by others fighting wind farms. They never wanted to deal with the fraud of MMGW even though without MMGW there was no case to build wind farms.
While I have fought to bring truth to the table, the vast majority fighting wind farms have remained under the delusion that “we need to embrace renewable energy” and “we just want the turbines sited farther from our homes”
Had those fighting wind farms pushed the “real truth” to the forefront the threat of wind farms would have be crushed long ago.
From my earliest posts I have always put the truth forward, concerning Wind Farms, MMGW and the people connected to these scams which threaten both the people of this country and the world.
Fighting the industry, govt. and the “wind fighters” has been a long and draining experience but hopefully this article from New Zealand will give those in Ont., Canada and the World the strength they need to beat back both the fraud of Wind Farms and MMGW.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WIND FARM DECISION
The New Zealand
Climate Science Coalition Hon Secretary, Terry Dunleavy MBE, 14A Bayview Road, Hauraki, North
Shore City 0622
Phone (09) 486 3859 – Mobile 0274 836688 – Email - terry.dunleavy@nzclimatescience.org.nz
13 November 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Huge wind farm in New Zealand canned on environmental, economic and
“climate change” grounds
Project Hayes was a 630 MW wind farm proposed for an upland plateau in
Central Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. An appeal to the
Environment Court has resulted in a judgement revoking the consent
granted about two years ago under New Zealand’s Resource Management Act.Several groups of local residents appealed the original consent on the
grounds that it would destroy an area of outstanding natural beauty. A
businessman from Auckland with property in Central Otago appealed on the
grounds that it was seriously uneconomic compared to alternative
generation and that, because fears of dangerous man-made global warming
were not supported by the evidence, there was no grounds to build it to
“fight climate change”. As expert witnesses, he engaged Professor Bob
Carter, Professor Chris de Freitas and Dr Kesten Green to put the case
that there were no grounds for believing in dangerous man-made global
warming and Bryan Leyland, a very experienced power systems engineer, to
demonstrate that wind power was expensive and an “uneconomic use of
resources”The hearing was held before four Commissioners at the Environment Court
where expert witnesses from both sides presented evidence and argued the
costs and benefits both for and against the wind farm over a period of
nearly two years.
In consideration of climate change matters under Section 7 of the Act,
the court listened carefully to arguments countering the IPCC
“projections” of impending dangerous man-made global warming put forward
by Carter, De Freitas and Green. However, their conclusion was that the
government had decreed that it believed in dangerous man- made global
warming, so they had to accept this decree. But the decision leaves open
the possibility that, as a result of the evidence presented, they gave
less weight to Meridian’s claimed climate change benefits than they
would otherwise have done.Bryan Leyland presented evidence on the cost of wind farms worldwide and
presented a detailed economic analysis that showed that the cost to the
consumer of the power generated was about twice the cost of alternatives
like hydropower, geothermal or coal. When cross questioned on the
economics of the project he finally said: “If it cost half as much and
the wind blew strongest in the autumn instead of springtime, I would be
all for it.”
The 350 page judgement was delivered after nine months of deliberation
by the Court. The judgement acknowledged the outstanding value of the
landscape and loss of this value if the wind farm was built. The other
major component of the decision revolved around the magnitude of the
economic benefit to people and communities from building this wind farm
compared to alternatives. The court was very critical of the lack of
economic analysis undertaken by Meridian Energy, the promoters of the
project, and commented that “We find it extraordinary that in a $2
billion project more effort was not made by Meridian to value more of
the costs and benefits much more thoroughly. It is even more remarkable
that two governments endorsed the proposal without insisting that
Meridian carried out a cost benefit analysis, or requesting Treasury to
do so.”
The judgement of the Commissioners was three to one against the project.
The fourth commissioner, in a supplementary statement, said that “I come
down on the side of the Meridian’s proposal, albeit by a small margin”.
For New Zealand, this decision raises the bar for all other wind farm
proposals and implies that without a comprehensive and detailed economic
analysis on national terms, they will not be approved. As Bryan Leyland
demonstrated, such an economic analysis will show that wind farms in New
Zealand cannot compete with alternative forms of generation even if a
reasonable allowance is made for a carbon tax in one form or another.
For wind energy globally, the judgement drives home the fact that wind
farms embedded in major power systems are seriously uneconomic because
of high costs, an even lower capacity factor than is achieved in New
Zealand, the need for backup generation and for additional transmission
lines. All these wind farms are uneconomic and are commercially viable
because of only massive consumer funded subsidies. It also demonstrates
that if a wind farm is opposed on well supported environmental, economic
and climate change grounds, success is more likely.
As you read this article pay attention to what Bill Murdoch MPP has to say. First – the Ont. Conservative Party planned to install more wind turbines than the Liberals – stated in their 2007 election platform. Murdoch says he opposed the GEA but he never bothered to vote against it. When his office was asked why Murdoch was not in the House for the vote his rep said he had a prior engagement. What could be more important than voting on the removal of Municipal rights.
Murdoch is as guilty as anyone for not standing up for the people of his riding. Why was he not holding information meeting in his riding to inform and advise his constituents about the coming folly.
Why didn’t Murdoch attend the meeting held on the 6th? It was held just down the street form his office
Gutless, or part of the Treason taking place in this province. You decide!
It’s too late to stop the surge of wind-farm development in Ontario, even by arguing the turbines cause illness, says Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Murdoch.
“As far as what they can do about it, there really isn’t a heck of a lot,” he said yesterday.
Murdoch’s comments come a day after about 120 people attended a public meeting at the Grey Bruce Health Unit in Owen Sound about health effects of wind turbines.
The Progressive Conservative MPP said residents’ concerns will likely fall on deaf ears of policy makers and Liberal cabinet ministers at Queen’s Park, since the Green Energy Act is now law.
Asked what people can do, Murdoch initially said “not a thing. It’s over. It’s a law.”
Later, he said concerned residents can write to Premier Dalton McGuinty or the Ontario Ministry of Health. Letters to Murdoch’s office will be forwarded, he said.
“They’re pretty much euchred. I don’t know where they can go. Some will say (I) can do something about it. There’s not a thing I can do about it. It’s a law,” he said.
People who believe the giant wind turbines cause illness can seek medical attention from a doctor, retain a lawyer and sue, Murdoch said, but that will likely be a “waste of money.”
Emotions ran high at Thursday’s public meeting, which the health unit organized to provide wind turbine information to residents.
Keynote speaker Dr. Ray Copes, a director at the Ontario Agency of Health Protection and Promotion, was heckled by the crowd several times after his one-hour slide presentation revealed little new information.
People took exception to Copes’ characterization of health impacts caused by turbines as an “annoyance” and his claim no proof exists linking illness to wind turbines.
People opposed to wind farms say turbines cause health problems such as chronic sleep disturbance, dizziness, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, irritability, nausea and ringing in ears.
Medical officer of health Dr. Hazel Lynn said she is aware “suffering” is being attributed to turbines, but has no power to make or influence changes to the Green Energy Act. The health unit cannot perform in-depth studies on health claims either, she said.
Lynn criticized the act at the public meeting, saying “we need more choices” since it strips local municipalities of the authority to make decisions about turbine setbacks. The act requires a 550-metre setback from a turbine to residential properties.
Murdoch said he opposed the act at Queen’s Park for that reason.
Progressive Conservatives MPPs voted against it and Murdoch said perhaps a change in government would lead to some changes. The next provincial election is in 2011.
“There’s going to be a lot of wind turbines put up in the next two years, I would assume, within the context of that law,” he said.
The province has promised to eliminate coal-fired power by 2014 and add 975 wind turbines by 2012.
A second public meeting, organized by the health unit, is scheduled for Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Walkerton’s Jubilee Hall.
Fairchild Television contacted me in June and in July their film crew came to the Ripley wind farm to shoot a feature about the negative affects of living near wind turbines.
Originally over 12 minutes I edited it so only the English parts remain. If I can get it translated I will post more of the video.
I wish to thank Sherona and her crew for making the trip from Toronto, also Fairchild Television for the original production.
Editor: Just wait until the wind farm is built. Then the real problems begin.
There is nothing green about the wind industry unless you count the cash. If anyone else tried to destroy the land and and flyways the greens would be having a fit.
When Dawn and Dean Wallace moved to Wolfe Island 17 years ago, they fell in love with the peaceful, slow pace of life in the rural community.
It quickly became home and they planned to retire on the island.
That has all changed. The couple feels that construction of one of Canada’s largest wind-power projects has forced them out of the community and they’re in the process of moving off the island into a home they’ve bought northwest of Kingston in Camden East.
“It’s ironic that the very thing that’s supposed to be green has had such a negative impact on us,” said Dawn Wallace.
“It’s a green project without a green process.”
The couple lived at the corner of Baseline Road and 5th Line – at the heart of the construction zone – where dozens of trucks moved past their house daily on their way to and from a quarry that supplied stone to build the access roads and cement foundations for the wind turbines.
As a result, the Wallaces spent this past summer wearing earplugs and avoided spending time at home.
The noise and dust from dozens of trucks and heavy pieces of equipment moving past their property, at times starting as early as 4 a. m., made life almost unbearable.
They didn’t even cut their lawn until Thanksgiving weekend because of the dust.
“I have one word for it: hell,” said Wallace, a high school teacher.
The couple has documented the dust and noise by posting video footage on YouTube, which is available by searching the online site using the keywords Wolfe Island wind.
To get some relief from the noise and dust, they called the Township of Frontenac Islands, the Ministry of the Environment and the company building the wind plant, Canadian Hydro Developers Inc.
But the Wallaces say they got no relief. The trucks kept coming.
“It was very difficult to get help,” she said. “At the end of the day, it was unbearable and we got no support.”
That wasn’t completely a surprise for the Wallaces, who watched as tension grew in the community between those who supported the project and those who had concerns about the location of the wind turbines. Angry disagreements occurred at public meetings.
“[Opponents] had to endure such terrible, painful social pressures from certain members of the community for speaking out about certain aspects of the process,”Wallace said.
“What was once a community of solidarity that we contributed [to] and benefited from has become a community divided, which is very painful.”
It all became too much for the Wallaces, whose departure comes just as the project’s first turbines are being erected.
Mammoth and pre-eminent on the rural landscape, the 125-metre-high turbines are visible for miles along the western portion of the island. The giant machines tower high above what were once dormant farmers’ fields.
In the coming months, workers will be using giant cranes to erect a total of 86 turbines along the western side of the island. The project is anticipated to be up and running by April 1, 2009.
By Jennifer Pritchett
Whig-Standard Environmental Reporter
I’m going to go through this article by Tyler Hamilton and critique it. I’ll include some of my experiences and thoughts as well. My critique will be added in italics. Having spent over two years studying wind farms, having read and studied thousands of pages of documents from around the world, attending many council meetings and an OMB hearing, I believe I’m qualified to discuss the subject in an objective manner.
Province wary of small but effective groups as it aims to beef up renewable energy plan.
Oct 30, 2008 04:30 AM
Tyler Hamilton Energy ReporterToronto Star( Shill for the wind industry – I say that because of his absolute lack of objectivity)
Opponents to wind farms in Ontario, at the best of times a local thorn in the side of wind-energy developers, have suddenly realized the benefit of getting organized.( see what I mean )Earlier this week a new anti-wind group called Wind Concerns Ontario, a coalition of 22 small rural groups each fighting their own community battles, announced its creation as a “strong, unified voice of opposition” to provincial plans that would see thousands of industrial wind turbines “tearing apart the very fabric of rural Ontario.”
They emphasize the “industrial” nature of wind turbines and their danger to birds and bats. They say the machines are noisy, make some people sick, kill local tourism and cause the real estate values of surrounding properties to fall. (All true statements, backed by facts)
When those complaints don’t stick, they attack the technology as being a fraud. “It does not in reality produce `green’ energy, does not reduce CO2 emissions significantly and is inefficient,” said Beth Harrington, spokesperson for the new coalition and head of the Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County, where several onshore and offshore wind projects are being planned.
(True – Wind energy has been promoted as being able to significantly reduce emissions, even though there is no evidence to support the claim.)
The increasingly vocal opposition, however small compared to those who more quietly support wind power in Ontario, isn’t lost on the Liberal government, which is counting on new renewable-energy projects as part of a plan to wean the province from coal-fired power generation by 2014.
(The so-called “quiet support” comes from people who got sucked in by the propaganda machine or never did any research on the subject)
In September, Energy and Infrastructure Minister George Smitherman directed the power authority to beef up an already ambitious renewable-energy plan, much of it dependent on massive new wind farms being erected across the province and on the Great Lakes.
(George Smitherman just recently took over the Ministry of Energy. So the question that needs to be asked is – What does Smitherman actually know about the energy needs of Ont. From his actions so far I feel safe in saying - not much. As Health Minister he thought it was prudent to have our seniors sit in dirty diaper until they were 70% full)
Smitherman, who will be in Shelburne today opening Canada’s largest wind farm, told the Star he’s committed to engaging the public in meaningful discussions as the plan moves forward. “But we also recognize that work needs to be done to ensure that momentum on the goal of a cleaner and green energy future isn’t diminished.”
(Meaningful discussions should be read as – drink the Kool-Aid or we’ll call you names ie: Nimby’s. That does not constitute meaningful discussions. He also forgot to mention the people already forced to move as a result of the first phase of the project)
This will require a streamlining of rules and regulations so they better balance community concerns with the need to move projects forward, industry observers say. A practical start, some suggest, is to establish environmental pre-screening of projects to weed out the good from the bad.
(This should read – The govt. and wind industry will decide where wind farms go and local councils will be bypassed.)
Behind the scenes the government is working on such improvements, sources say, including the creation of a Green Energy Act that would give priority to renewable energy and conservation as the province updates and expands its electricity system.
(Read – end of local democratic rights)
Some have grown impatient. EPCOR Utilities Inc. earlier this month canceled a $300-million wind farm in Goderich. After years of delay, the company said it couldn’t wait any longer for provincial and municipal approvals, which in some cases had been slowed by a handful of protesters.
( I attended many council meetings concerning the Epcor-Kingsbridge ll wind farm near Goderich and I never saw a protester. I did meet people who were lied to in order to construct Kingsbridge l . People who suffered from health, noise and stray voltage problems. I saw Epcor walk out of council meetings twice and say they were done. Why? Because people wanted answers to questions that the wind company couldn’t or refused to answer.
They should have left, but the govt. kept saying they would fix things. I saw junk engineering reports – anything to try and ram the project through. I believe there has been a formal complaint lodged because of those engineering reports.
We, a small group of dedicated citizens, farmers and landowners, including one dedicated councilor held up Kingsbridge ll for over a year. In that time I witnessed what can only be described as total and complete disrespect for people, their rights, their health, their property and the truth.
In the end a 450 meter setback was adopted – the same setback that was put forward over a year earlier, even though the people suffering ill effects from Kingsbridge l were all outside the 450 meter setback. The councilor who stood up for his constituents said “I was told by lawyers that any setback over 450 meters would prompt an OMB hearing at a cost to the township of $100.000 and that we would lose.”
Epcor recently released a statement stating they were withdrawing from the Kinsbridge ll wind farm because they would be unable to have the project up and operational by Oct.31st. of this year. They had to know that at least a year ago – so what gives?
This is speculation on my part, but I believe the Epcor withdrawal will be used as the excuse the govt. has been looking for to bypass local councils.
So much for democracy!)
Closer to home, Toronto Hydro got a taste of things to come this week as it considers construction of an offshore wind farm off the Scarborough Bluffs. It was forced on Monday evening to cancel its first community information meeting because more than 400 people showed up – twice as many as the church hall could hold.
Nearly 200 people lined up outside were greeted by someone from a group called SOS Windfarms Toronto (the SOS stands for Stop Offshore) who was handing out business cards that promote a website.
Along with some valid concerns, the site also contains misleading or wrong information, such as claims that the wind farm is being promoted as the only green solution for Toronto and that 80 years of aviation data show the site is inappropriate for wind generation.
(If you want misleading or wrong information go to the CanWEA site or the Govt. of Ont. site,or read the writing of Tyler Hamilton. They are masters of the art.)
“I think a lot of people are making judgments based on information that I would say is incorrect,” said Keith Stewart, an energy expert with WWF-Canada. “Rational argument can win over the majority, but it can’t win over everyone.”
(There goes Tyler Hamilton again – describing Keith Stewart of the WWF as an energy expert. Keith Stewart has a PhD in political science from York University, where he studied environmental politics. I see nothing that would suggest he is an energy expert.
I thought the focus of the WWF was trying to save the ‘not endangered polar bear’. Maybe Mr. Stewart would be of more use in the high arctic.
I want to hear from the engineers – the people who understand and build electrical systems, not politicians and lobby groups)
Stewart said some ecologically sensitive locations are clearly not appropriate for wind farms, and that’s part of the reason why government has to create guidelines.
(It was CanWEA that requested the govt. not impose setbacks and the govt. agreed to the request.)
First, the relatively small size of private land parcels in Ontario will present a challenge for developers due to the number of stakeholders that may perceive impacts. Windpark development may become uneconomical if municipal setbacks created to address these “perceived” concerns reduce the usable land area, thus eliminating the economics of scale necessary to develop a project.*
*14c) The Industry does not recommend that a set of standard bylaws be adopted with respect to setbacks or other municipal zoning issues.*
(*”The above can be understood to mean, that if “safe setbacks” are mandated, it will make it uneconomical to site wind farms in Southern Ontario”)
(If Tyler Hamilton, the Govt. or CanWEA think they can subdue the rising state of awareness concerning the reality of wind farms, they are mistaken in their misguided belief, just as they are being dishonest when telling the public that wind farms will significantly cut CO2 emissions or are capable replacing a fossil fuel plant.
During a conversation I had with the senior policy adviser for the Ministry of Energy, I mentioned that my research suggested the best plan for Ontario’ s electrical needs was to put the scrubbers on the coal plants and build a nuke.He agreed with my assessment. Cost -10 billion for a system that is both environmentally sound and cost effective. McGuinty has continually refused to put the scrubbers on the coal plants, putting the health of thousands at risk)
McGuinty’s plan – 60+ billion for an unstable, overly expensive and is no healthier than the one proposed by myself and accepted as sound by the policy adviser.
When I asked why this was happening, he answered “politics” – try heating your home with politics.)
“Wind turbines are popping up in rural communities around the world, including Canada, in the hope that they will reduce reliance on coal and other sources for power.”
Hope is not what you build an electrical system on. The politicians can “hope” till the cows come home, but the facts speak for themselves.
Nowhere on the planet has the use of industrial wind turbines caused a reduction in the use of coal or any other source of energy.
I would like to thank CTV and those responsible for bringing this story forward and into the mainstream media.
To all those fighting poorly sited wind farms – keep up the great work.
Without your hard work and insistence for the truth, this story would not likely have seen the light of day.
Ernie Marshall and his wife look at the windmills near their former home near Goderich, Ont. The Marshalls moved from several kilometres away after they began developing health problems.
Wind turbines cause health problems, residents say
Updated Sun. Oct. 5 2008 10:23 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Windmills may be an environmentally friendly alternative energy source but they also cause debilitating health problems, say people who live near them.
Wind turbines are popping up in rural communities around the world, including Canada, in the hope that they will reduce reliance on coal and other sources for power. Currently, there are about 1,500 turbines across Canada and there are plans to build another 1,000 to 1,500 in the next year.
But some residents who live near wind farms complain the turbines cause a number of adverse health effects, such as crippling headaches, nose bleeds and a constant ringing in the ears.
Helen and Bill Fraser initially supported the nearby wind farm in Melancthon, Ont. One turbine sat close to the Fraser’s kitchen window.
“We thought, more green energy, this is great,” Helen told CTV News.
However, Helen says she developed headaches, body aches and she had trouble sleeping. The dog began wetting the floor at night.
“There were nights I was lying in bed and my heart would beat to the pulse of the turbine. It was an uneasy feeling,” Helen said.
Ernie Marshall at first supported the wind farm that was placed near his home near Goderich, Ont. However, he also says that once the turbines got rolling, his health began to suffer.
“I had problems with my heart, with my eyes, my digestive system,” Marshall told CTV News. “It traumatizes your whole body.”
Dr. Nina Pierpont, a pediatrician in upstate New York, has interviewed dozens of people who live near windmills in Canada, the United States and Europe.
Her soon-to-be released book, Wind Turbine Syndrome, documents the litany of health problems experienced by some people who have wind farms near their homes.
Pierpont believes that with the growth of wind farms near residential areas, Wind Turbine Syndrome “likely will become an industrial plague,” she states on her website.
Scientists have only begun studying the phenomenon in the last few years.
Some early findings suggest that wind turbines create a high intensity, low frequency sound that may have an effect on the body. Not only can the sound potentially cause debilitating illness. Some researchers believe that the vibrations the sound causes in the inner ear may lead to vibro-acoustic disease, which can cause dizziness, nausea and sleep disturbances.
'The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.' - Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Ernie Marshall and his wife look at the windmills near their former home near Goderich, Ont. The Marshalls moved from several kilometres away after they began developing health problems.
