By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
Less than a month after closing the door on two proposed wind turbine farms in the East and South Kent areas, Chatham-Kent Council had the opportunity to lock that door and throw away the key.
Instead, Council opted to leave that door open.
At its Oct. 6 meeting, Council denied the Crossfield Wind Farm in Howard Twp. and Botany Wind Farm in Howard and Harwich Twps. from moving forward with their plans.
At the same meeting, Chatham Ward 6 Councillor Amy Finn entered a notice of motion calling for the municipality to be “unwilling hosts” to all future industrial wind turbine projects in Chatham-Kent.
Finn brought the motion forward at the Monday, Nov. 3, meeting.
The motion, however, never reached the Council floor for discussion or voting. Because Council had already voted on the subject of banning all future wind turbine projects earlier in this term, the item needed a motion to reconsider to put it on the floor. With 16 Councillors and Mayor Darrin Canniff present, 12 ‘yes’ votes were required.
The 11-6 vote fell one short, and the motion was shelved.
Along with Finn, Ward 3’s John Wright, Ward 1’s Lauren Anderson, Ward 2’s Anthony Ceccacci and Ryan Doyle, Ward 4’s Rhonda Jubenville and Jaimie McGrail, Ward 5’s Carmen McGregor, Ward 6’s Alysson Storey, Conor Allin and Michael Bondy all supported bringing the motion to ban future wind turbine projects back to the floor.
However, the six dissenting votes – Ward 1’s Melissa Harrigan, Ward 2’s Trevor Thompson, Ward 5’s Aaron Hall, Ward 6’s Marjorie Crew and Brock McGregor, along with Canniff – kept the door open to consider future wind turbine projects.
Ward 3’s Morena McDonald did not attend the meeting in person or virtually, as she did not vote.
Council first voted on banning all future industrial wind projects by an 11-3 margin at its July 15, 2024, meeting. Wright and Doyle were the lone two Councillors to back Jubenville’s motion at the time.
Finn was one of the 11 Councillors who voted against the ban and kept the door open to future opportunities.
“I was in favour previously of allowing the farmers to have the choice,” Finn said as she delivered her motion.
“Learning what I have over the last couple of months with regards to the aquifer in East Kent, and knowing what’s happened in other areas, I think it’s quite important that we bring this up for discussion.”
Jubenville agreed.
“I think we should have at least the opportunity to vote on it again,” she said. “A lot of new details have come forward, that Council may have a reconsideration on this.”
Several residents made deputations before the item came up later in the evening.
Lauren Aziz, a resident of the Muirkirk area, said residents “should not have to come back after meeting, fighting the same battle.”
“Our message has been consistent and clear: We do not want any more wind turbines in our municipality,” stated Aziz.
Aziz said that if councillors cannot be certain about residents’ health and the impact on the environment, “that should be enough reason to stop these projects from moving forward.”
It was the presence of Kettle Point black shale in portions of the proposed wind farm areas that raised red flags for Councillors in their vote to ground both projects at the Oct. 6 meeting.
Sediments from black shale contaminated numerous water wells in Chatham and Dover Townships, forcing many residents to lose their source of water.
Azis also made a deputation at the Oct. 6 meeting, stating that rural residents were already underserved and overlooked.
“And that argument still stands,” Aziz said in her Nov. 3 deputation.
“In Muirkirk, for example, we have no trash pickup, limited road maintenance, no water or gas lines, and no nearby fire hall or library, yet we’re the ones being asked to live beside industrial turbines that offer no direct benefit to us,” Aziz said.
“Shame on you! Shame on you!” yelled one angry resident after the vote.
While Councillors shot down the two proposed wind farms at the Oct. 6 meeting, they were unanimous in allowing FLT Energy Inc. to move forward with its Ridgetown 1 Solar Project on Mitton Line and the Bothwell 2 Solar Project for Elm Street West, both on municipality-owned land.
