Wind turbine plan moving forward

A controversial plan to build power-generating wind turbines in Clearview Township near the Collingwood Regional Airport has cleared another small hurdle.

The company behind the project, WPD Canada, has received approval to run a power line underground along Fairgrounds Road, in order to feed the province’s electrical grid.

That approval came from the Ontario Energy Board today, and WPD officials were pleased to check that item off their list.

“We believe the OEB has made a sound decision based on the facts," reads a statement from the company to CTV News.

However, the project isn’t a done deal yet because wider approvals are still needed from the provincial Ministry of the Environment.

There is no timeline for a decision to be made by the Ministry on those outstanding approvals.

Opponents to the plan are hoping they still have time to stop it.

Pilot Kevin Elwood says the turbines would be too close to flying routes.

“Wind turbines this close to Georgian Bay and close to the airport we have are a bad idea,” said Elwood. “We have rapidly changing weather conditions with snow squalls, and a white wind turbine at 500 feet could be very difficult for a pilot traveling over 150 miles to identify the obstacle and avoid it before having a collision.”

The airport’s board chair, Charlie Thathum, doesn’t understand why the turbines have to be so close to the airport.

“You've got the whole county to choose from. Why would anyone in his right mind plop these beside an airport?” wondered Thathum. “There's no reason for it. It just seems so illogical.”