South Scarborough's pleas to kill wind turbine plan for lake rejected by city.
John Laforet speaks to members of Toronto's executive committee during a meeting April 19, seeking to have the city stop plans by Toronto Hydro to possibly install wind turbines in Lake Ontario betweeen Ajax and the Leslie Street Spit. The executive committee rejected the motion which was made by Scarborough East Councillor Paul Ainslie and Scarborough Southwest Councillor Brian Ashton.
Staff photo/DAVID NICKLE
South Scarborough residents made a plea to Toronto's executive committee to stop Toronto Hydro from investigating putting a line of wind turbines in Lake Ontario. But the afternoon of deputations had the opposite effect, and the committee recommended that Toronto do everything it can to actually encourage electricity generation from wind in the city.
The project is in the early stages: Toronto Hydro is for now planning on testing the spot for wind levels, before deciding whether to go ahead with a plan that could see as many as 60, 140 metere high wind turbines off the shore of Lake Ontario between Ajax and the Leslie Street Spit.
The wind turbines would, if erected, help Toronto Hydro generate more power from non-polluting processes.
About 30 residents and anti-wind activists came to the meeting chaired by Mayor David Miller in support of a motion by two local councillors - Scarborough East Councillor Paul Ainslie and Scarborough Southwest Councillor Brian Ashton - that asked for a moratorium on wind turbine construction.
Ainslie pointed out that the numerous deputations from the community all opposed the plan.
"I don't think there was one resident that came here that was in agreement with the projects," he said. "We've had written submissions from all the associations of why they don't support this project and why they would prefer a moratorium in place."
Ashton pointed out that as well as being a councillor for the area, he also responded to the idea as a resident.
"When I first heard about this proposal my first response was 'oh my God, they're going to put 140-metre tall wind turbines across the Scarborough waterfront,'" said Ashton.
"Some people say view is not important. We all know it is important - in our planning issues, view is key. I am confident you can achieve your green targets without this project destroying the Scarborough waterfront."
Residents and opponents said they believed the wind turbines would have health and environmental impacts and Toronto Hydro shouldn't proceed.
Harry Spindel, vice president of the Guildwood Community Assocation, said his community has been unfairly characterized as NIMBY in opposing the wind turbines.
"Guildwood is a community very supportive of responsible green energy," he said. "We feel fortunate to live in a beautiful place and try to take good care of our environmentâ?¦ We have done our research and we're facing a proposal from Toronto Hydro that may destroy the lakefront environment, and our health."
John Laforet, president of the anti-windmill group Wind Concerns Ontario, enumerated some of those possible problems.
"This is not your grandfather's windmill - these are industrial wind turbines," he said. "They weigh as much as six subway cars, they're as tall as the Royal York Hotel. They generate a lot of infrasound and we have no studies of the effects on the water of infrasound travelling. They'll be taller than the bluffs, and we'll be the only community that has the blades pointing at us."
Residents who spoke said they were worried that the noise would impact their own health, and also that the blades would kill birds flying through them.
But the committee was not supportive.
Miller, who had to leave before the vote, said he supported the wind turbines.
"The Scarborough Bluffs citizens have some legitimate concerns about the view," he said.
"But all that is happening at the moment is a two-year study to determine if there is enough wind. And it's quite clear that there aren't negative health impacts from wind turbines. I live three kilometres away from one so I'm glad of that. Issues about fish habitats and the view of the bluffs are legitimateâ?¦ I would rather say on my own behalf to the residents of Scarborough that I think Toronto Hydro should do the wind study. Let's determine how much wind is there."
Glenn De Baeremaeker, a councillor for Scarborough Centre, moved the motion that saw the committee simply supporting and encouraging wind power.
"The conclusions the community have drawn are simply wrong," he said. "I've listened very carefully to some of the people from Guildwood Village - the fears people have for the their health are simply wrong. If you listen to the Chief Officer of Health in Ontario there are no health impacts. And the notion that this is harmful to birds? We've got a windmill in Toronto (at the CNE). It kills two birds a year. When you look at deforestation and mining and logging and household cats - they kill millions more birds than windmills."