Jones makes a stand against the government on wind turbines

October 23, 2013 · 0 Comments

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones recently issued criticism to the government for its energy strategy.
Specifically, she attacked the government for paying wind power producers not to produce.
“Recently, the Liberals decided to start paying industrial wind turbine companies to not produce power, due to oversupply in our energy system,” she said in her statement in the legislature. “Then why build them at all?”
She said it’s clear the government is putting the interests of companies that own these turbines ahead of those of the taxpayers.
“Wind power is in oversupply,” Jones declared. “And yet, the Liberal answer is to pay suppliers not to produce electricity, while ignoring Ontario municipalities who have said ‘no’ to industrial wind turbines.”
Jones called this approach to planning “inefficient, expensive and unsustainable.”
“Their failure means that Ontarians are being gouged on their energy bills,” she declared. “Ad hoc policy changes are proving costly to consumers, and the plan to pay wind power producers to shut down energy production is another cost Ontarians cannot afford.”
Jones pointed out her Progressive Conservative colleagues at Queen’s Park have asked for a moratorium to stop all development of industrial wind turbines, until a comprehensive review is done.
“I have heard from municipal leaders and residents in my riding who are frustrated that their voices are not being listened to,” she commented, pointing out communities are making it clear they don’t want these turbines. “I will repeat what I’ve said before in this Chamber: if the Premier truly believes in the ‘willing host’ approach, then she should be listening to the communities who are saying loud and clear: ‘We don’t want industrial wind turbines.’”