QUEEN’S PARK –- Local MPP Bill Murdoch is throwing his support behind a private member’s bill introduced at Queen’s Park today that aims at giving municipalities back their Planning Act powers for renewable energy projects.
The bill, introduced by Murdoch’s caucus colleague and MPP for Dufferin-Caledon Sylvia Jones, is the PC party’s latest remedy offer to fix the Liberals’ controversial Green Energy Act.
“The Green Energy Act was one of the worst pieces of legislation to come out of Queen’s Park because it removed all rights from constituents and their locally-elected representatives,” Murdoch said. “Municipalities need planning oversight, and I support any efforts to restore those powers.”
Murdoch last October introduced a motion at Queen’s Park that called on the government to bring in a moratorium and undertake a health study to determine the potential impacts of wind turbines on people's health. Since Murdoch’s motion was defeated by governing Liberals, his colleague Ted Arnott, MPP for Wellington-Halton Hills, introduced a similar motion last month, seeking a provincial moratorium until health studies are completed.
The Green Energy Act was passed in 2009 and continues to draw opposition from municipalities where large wind farm projects have split rural communities and caused animosity among neighbours.
“This Act is a perfect example of that Toronto mentality I’ve been talking about. The Liberals have dumped hundreds if not thousands of wind turbines on rural Ontario and left local councils and their constituents to fight it out,” said Murdoch. “I hope all Liberal members representing rural ridings will support this bill and help return planning powers to the locally-elected members of council so they can better respond to their community’s needs.”
