“Up to now, resident complaints have been largely ignored by the Ministry. The documents we received showed the response rate had actually declined, and the Ministry did not seem prepared to take any action at all against the wind power operators, who are classified as the ‘Client’ in Ministry documents.

Impact on People Noise Ontario

Recent blade rupture on Kawartha Lakes turbine still under investigation by energy company

Impact on People Safety Ontario

Water Wells First members were once optimistic after a promise made by Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Doug Ford during last year’s provincial election campaign that a health-hazard investigation would be initiated if he was elected premier. However, since the citizens’ group received that promise in writing from Ford last May, its members continue to wait for this investigation to start.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

Local water activists are up in arms over plans for Chatham-Kent’s Chief Medical Officer of Health to speak about groundwater at an upcoming conference. ...Water Wells First officials say without a proper Health Hazard Investigation into the issue locally, Dr Colby’s presentation may be somewhat premature.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

A Melancthon family is taking Dufferin Wind Power Inc. to court over allegations that the hydro transmission lines have affected their quality of life. The case is set to go before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal in the spring, after expert reports have been filed for both sides.

Impact on People Property Values Transmission Ontario

Residents realized their worst fears as the project began the construction phase last summer. Nineteen wells began to experience sediment problems, Jakubec says — nearly a third of the 64 wells that the group members had tested at their own expense. Bill Clarke, a hydrogeologist for Water Wells First who gathered and analyzed the samples, says follow-up testing showed the affected wells experienced changes in water turbidity, amount of particles, colour, and rate of flow.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

In a decision dated late last week, the Ontario's Environmental Review Tribunal said the group's evidence was not strong enough. "We were not surprised by the tribunal's ruling, but we were disappointed by the outcome," said Margaret Benke, who lives near the wind farm site and was involved in organizing the appeal. ...Benke said the group is considering a lawsuit, though it may be too costly.

Impact on People Legal Ontario

McNaughton said the health ministry has ordered Ontario’s chief medical officer to review all of the data on past collections and information gathered over the past few years to get answers for impacted families. “(This) begins the process of getting to the bottom of this,” the MPP said.

Impact on People Ontario

Water Wells First, a grassroots group, began raising concerns two years ago about the potential impact the construction of the North Kent Wind farm would have on water wells due to Kettle Point black shale geology and the shallow aquifer in the area. Since then, more than 20 water wells have reported significant amounts of sediments that have clogged up the flow of water during construction and after operation of the wind farm began.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

Kroker says plans for the wind farm have been in the works for years but the sizable turbine model was not disclosed until the summer of 2017. The towers have never been tested in North America. “There are no real studies on a tower this size when it comes to health effects and, for a lot of our community members, that’s the big sticking point.”

Impact on People Alberta

Opposition candidates call for a halt of wind turbine development after Chatham-Kent residents complain that green energy ruined their wells WALLACEBURG — Water Wells First, a grassroots group of about 60 families based north of Chatham, has struggled over the last two years to convince the provincial Liberal government that the area’s wind farms are ruining their well water, but to no avail.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

Citizen groups continued their effort to convince the Ontario government to ensure wind farm developers abide by the latest noise modelling guidelines.

Impact on People Ontario

“We had no choice” : Wind Concerns Ontario on taking legal action regarding wind turbine noise reports

Impact on People Noise Ontario

I’ve been criss-crossing Ontario talking about wind turbines. I can’t stand wind turbines. I can’t stand how they are destroying areas and communities. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we halt any other wind turbine farms, and I’m going to address the ones going in. You have a huge supporter here,” says Ford.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

Since then, more 20 landowners have come forward with complaints their wells became clogged after either pile driving took place or the blades began turning on a nearby wind tower.

Impact on People Ontario

The results of the laboratory test were submitted to the ministry by Water Wells First after revealing a 14,000 times increase in black shale particles in at least one local water well since construction started on the wind farm north of Chatham.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

A Notice of Application for Judicial Review was filed by DDOWT in the Divisional Court in Toronto on Tuesday against the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change alleging the ministry has allowed companies promoting at least five large-scale wind projects to ignore new government guidelines with respect to limiting the amount of noise any residence in the area should have to tolerate.

Impact on People Noise Legal Ontario

The spokesperson for Water Wells First says new testing reveals a 14,000 times increase in black shale particles in at least one local water well since construction started on a wind farm project north of Chatham.

Pollution Impact on People Ontario

The application was being sought to allow construction on the 34-wind turbine project in the former Chatham Township area to occur all night as well as on Sundays and holidays from Dec. 1 to March 31, 2018. ...Chatham-Kent's director of building services Paul Lacina said the request was denied to due to objections received from the public and inconsistency with the principles established by council within the bylaw.

Impact on People Noise Ontario

“I want the minister to understand why communities are so troubled by the effect of wind turbines on their water,” said McNaughton. “Wells that have produced clean, clear water for decades have begun producing dirty brown, unpotable water since construction of turbines for the North Kent I wind project began.”

Pollution Impact on People Ontario