Getting the message

No new FIT contracts awarded in Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County has been bypassed in the latest round of feed-in tariff (FIT) contracts awarded by the Ontario Power Authority. Last month, the provincial agency announced it had awarded contracts to 490 solar projects, eight bioenergy projects, one industrial wind energy project and a single waterpower project. None are located in the County.

Nearly every project awarded a contract in the recent FIT 3.0 round had either aboriginal, community or municipal support. The vast majority of projects receiving a green light were for solar roof-top installations (403 of 500 contracts). This includes roof-top installations on seven schools in Belleville, including Moira, Bayside, Quinte and Centennial secondary schools.

The 500 contracts represent total generating potential of 123.5MW.

The province renewed its intention to procure 150 MW of renewable energy each year until 2018.

Still, North Marysburgh councillor and mayoral candidate Robert Quaiff sensed a new openness by the premier and her cabinet to the issues and concerns—particularly in regard to industrial wind and solar energy projects— during meetings of the Association of Municipalities Ontario(AMO) held in Toronto last week.

“Doors appear to have opened that were closed,” reported Quaiff. “There is a new relationship. It seems Kathleen Wynne is interested in talking to rural Ontario much more than Dalton McGuinty ever was.”

He noted that, along with the premier, seventeen of her cabinet ministers attended the meeting. Among them was Brad Duguid, minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure. Duguid reiterated his government’s pledge that if a municipality doesn’t support a renewable energy contract it likely won’t happen there.

“They can’t do anything about Gilead or wpd,” said Quaiff. “They have contracts in hand. But for all intents and purposes, local council can now block future industrial- scale projects in their communities.”