In light of a judicial review application against the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Wallaceburg Area Wind Concerns spokesperson Violet Towell says it’s nice to see some municipal support.
However, that support is coming from Dutton-Dunwich – not Chatham-Kent – and Towell says that’s frustrating.
“The fact that we are a welcoming community has allowed this proliferation of wind turbines,” Towell says.
The group recently approached Boralex, the company behind the Otter Creek project, and asked why they wanted to build turbines so close to a residential community.
“The answer was because they could,” Towell says, “Because the CK community was accommodating.”
Dutton-Dunwich Mayor Cameron McWilliam says quite simply, his municipality doesn’t support a proposed wind project in their area.
“If you have any sort of project that comes to your community, it’s important that there’s a grassroots engagement,” McWilliam says. “If a community doesn’t want a project, that should be respected.”
McWilliam says Dutton-Dunwich municipal council voted 84% against hosting a wind turbine project in their area.
While the municipality of Dutton-Dunwich isn’t part of the judicial review application, McWilliam says they support the grassroots organizations behind it.