Heather Wright/The Independent

Brooke-Alvinston residents will learn more about a wind power project planned in the community next week, but residents of Warwick and Enniskillen Township may also be keeping an eye on Venfor Inc. plans.

That after a map of the project posted by Adelaide-Metcalfe Township shows turbines within the bounds of Brooke-Alvinston’s neighbours.

Venfor, which wants to build a 300-megawatt project in Brooke-Alvinston and Adelaide-Metcalfe, is planning public open houses Aug. 27 in Kerwood and Aug. 28 in Alvinston.

Venfor Director, Peter Budd, has said 17 turbines would be placed in Brooke if the project is approved by the Independent Electricity System Operator. The IESO is looking for all kinds of energy projects. Proposals are due by December to be considered for a possible 20-year generation project. 

A map placed on Adelaide-Metcalfe’s website days ago, shows almost all the turbines in Brooke-Alvinston are north of the urban area, except for one, which is south of Petrolia Line near Ebenezer Road. Eighteen of the turbines would be in Adelaide-Metcalfe. 

But, the map also shows turbines in nearby Enniskillen and Warwick and that’s caught municipal politicians in those communities off guard.

In Warwick, where the map shows two turbines off Zion Line near Arkona Road and another off Confederation Line and Donnelly Road, Mayor Todd Case was surprised. “We have not seen anything,” he said. “Nothing has been sent to our administration.

“We were not a willing host last time… I don’t (want to) tie the hands of a new council, but I doubt very, very much that anything would change. My opinion sure has not changed myself, personally,” Case added.

Enniskillen Mayor Kevin Marriott was also unaware of Venfor’s map which is being widely circulated on social media. It shows the three turbines in Ennskillen, one south of Petrolia Line near Oakdale Road, another off Churchill between Forest and Oakdale Road with a substation slated there as well. The other is between Black Ash and Wanstead Road north of LaSalle Line.

“They will not get a council resolution (of support) from us as we are still unwilling hosts,” said Marriott in a text message.

The Independent reached out to Budd to ask about the turbine placements in Warwick and Enniskillen. He said he was unavailable for an interview but, in an email said, “There are presently no wind sites planned in any areas of Warwick or Enniskillen.”

Mike Barnier Clerk and Manager of Legislative Services in Adelaide-Metcalfe told The Independent the map was provided by Venfor earlier this summer. The municipality had been looking for a turbine placement map to post on the website for the community to review, Barnier said. Venfor officials told him to use a map presented to council in a private meeting in June.

Budd did not respond when The Independent asked via email if the map was incorrect.

Case says “if it is a mistake, it causes a little bit of stress for some of the people who live in my community when they hear things like this.

He added if the placement of the turbines is correct, Warwick will get involved. “There would be, in my opinion, a huge amount of consultation that would have to take place.”

Venfor has been in conversation with Brooke-Alvinston and it has not gone well. Several council members saying they won’t support it at all. Council members are opposed despite the fact the company running the wind project would pay an estimated $300,000 to $400,000 to the municipality each year.

Mayor David Ferguson has voiced concern about what company may buy the project once it is developed, noting it may be foreign buyers. Clerk/Administrator Janet Denkers spoke to Budd in July who said “he would bring the potential buyers with him to any public engagement sessions that were held,” adding “they focused on Canadian buyers, Canadian owners, not American ones.”

And those stiff headwinds from municipal politicians are problematic for Venfor.  According to provincial regulations, companies bidding for projects must have a letter of endorsement from the host municipality.

Aside from the meetings at the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Centre and in Kerwood, the company will host an online meeting Sept. 4 from 7 to 8 pm. After that, municipalities will decide whether they’ll endorse the project.