Hub Staff

In an information report to Saugeen Shores Council regarding the UNIFOR wind turbine acoustic audit, Saugeen Shores CAO David Smith said that although he has not heard it said officially, there are indicators that the testing had not been completed by the June deadline.

“Our peer review consultant reported to us that the testing was not completed by the deadline,” said Smith, adding that he’s contacted the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) and the Ontario Ombudsman’s office. “Both have committed to circle back with the Town when they’ve heard officially that UNIFOR did not meet the testing deadline.”

Councillor Dave Myette said he was disappointed but not surprised and wondered if it was that the testing had not been completed or that the results had not been compiled and released.

Smith made it clear that he did not want to speculate but did say that it is his understanding that testing did occur and that the peer review company had been consulted to make sure the receptors did meet the Ministry’s minimum requirements.

He added that there was indication that rainfall may have been a factor. “My sense is they didn’t get enough samples that would articulate all of the different wind conditions they need to do that full submission,” said Smith, adding that it is expected that UNIFOR will be asking for a deadline extension.

Councillor Neil Menage hoped that whatever portion of the testing is missing could be done and added to already-existing results rather than to start the process over again. “To redo the whole thing then have another set of nature’s criteria why we couldn’t complete it is just a game,” said the councillor.

While Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau agreed with the CAO in that it isn’t prudent to speculate, he took the opportunity to remind Council that “we’ve been waiting 18 months for the wind to blow just right” and said that it has blown hard enough to generate “a great deal of complaints” from those who live closest to the turbine.

Charbonneau said he had a letter from a resident who complained 20 times between May 22 and June 14, another from a resident who complained seven times and a third who complained three times. “They could have complained more times but they felt it was futile and who could blame them,” he said.

“Like the turbine we spin around and around and around and around and around and keep spinning,” said the deputy mayor.

If it is confirmed that testing was not completed, Charbonneau suggested that Council write “yet another letter” to the Ministry “asking them to make the testing mandatory and asking them that if it isn’t completed by a fixed date that the turbine should be shut off permanently.”

Charbonneau also suggested that when testing is conducted that the test sites match locations from which complaints are being received rather than from “places where no complaints have ever been received.”