Image

Stats Can wants $10k to look at raw data from Health Canada wind turbine study

December 24, 2014

 

 

A Plympton-Wyoming family trying to stop Suncor Energy from building industrial turbines will have to shell out $10,000 to look at data they think will help prove turbines hurt human health.

Lawyers for the Bryce family have asked the Environmental Review Tribunal to adjourn the hearing into the appeal of the project for six months so they can study data collected by Health Canada.

The federal agency recently released the preliminary report and the family’s lawyer believes there is evidence that can link some of the noise caused by industrial wind turbines to problems such as headaches and sleeplessness.

But Asha James told the ERT Stats Canada will only allow a researcher 22 days to analyse the data for $10,000.

Lawyers for Suncor also told the ERT adjudicators they had applied to see the raw data as well but had been told it would cost $4,500.

Elizabeth Bellavance speaks for We’re Against Industrial Turbines Plympton-Wyoming. She’s disappointed by the revelation, but not surprised.

“It’s unreasonable and is not common sense,” says Bellavance, noting Canadian taxpayers already paid $2.1 million for the study.

“It is one more added injustice to fairness,” says Bellavance.

“I’m getting to the point where I accept the unfairness, deal with it and move forward.”

But she’d like to see Suncor agree to a delay to allow researchers to look at the data.

“Why would they not want more information to support their safety values?” she asks, noting the study summary does talk about how wind turbines are “statistically associated” with health effects.

“An unbiased expert needs to access this data and review it,” says Bellavance.

While she believes the fee is unfair, for the Bryce family it is a heavy financial burden to bear, Bellavance says.

“I am hopeful the community will realize just how unfair the process is and come forward to help pay for this.”

 

 

Share This

Image
Front Page

A peek inside the Forest fire department

November 21, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Forest firefighters opened the doors to the fire hall and families flooded in. Normally, the department holds an open house during Fire Prevention Week, but this year, the doors opened Wednesday night. Families filled the building with parents watching as their children climbed into the trucks and tried using the jaws of life. Firefighters were surprised with

Read More

Image
Front Page

Alvinston arena repairs move forward, tender for project in March

November 20, 2025

Blake Ellis/The Independent They’ve signed on the dotted line. The Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Complex will see repairs to the ice surface and the plant after Brooke-Alvinston council approved an agreement with the provincial government on Nov. 13. The agreement outlines that the province will match the municipal contributions of Brooke-Alvinston dollar for dollar, up to $1 million, through the Community Sport

Read More

Image
Front Page

DeKoning shuts the door on Milverton

November 20, 2025

Barry Wright/The Independent Nolan DeKoning made his debut with the Petrolia Squires a memorable one. He stopped 41 shots to backstop the Squires to a 9-0 win at Milverton in Ontario Elite Hockey League action on Sunday afternoon. He signed with Petrolia last month after three seasons in Alvinston. Josh Barraclough, Carson Peer and Daniel Gibson all scored twice for

Read More

Image
Front Page

Plympton-Wyoming businesses will pay for recycling Jan. 1

November 20, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Gary Atkinson has been getting a lot of recycling questions from businesses. It stems from the changes to recycling province wide which shifts the responsibility for paying for recycling services away from municipal governments and onto the producers of the materials.  An organization called Circular Materials represents the producers and has been organizing contracts to

Read More