Decision Time: Salaberry-de-Valleyfield’s Mayor Urges Citizens to Weigh in on Wind Turbine Project

2023-08-15 00:27:58

Mayor Salaberry-de-Valleyfield is of the opinion that Hydro-Québec has placed the City in a delicate situation, since citizens only have a few weeks to decide on a project for 12 to 15 wind turbines.

Hydro-Québec has identified ten areas in the province that will go to tender on September 12, including Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. The City must therefore decide quickly to give the green light or put an end to the project.

On July 6, the company Hydroméga presented an information session, which allowed citizens to learn that the palm of a wind turbine would culminate at 205 meters.

In an interview with Qub radio with Marie Montpetit, the mayor of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Miguel Lemieux, admitted to being in a delicate situation. Last June, Hydroméga was unable to say where the wind farm would be located. However, the company has reportedly reached agreements in principle with farmers since then.

“It is sure that it is not the best conditions, he underlined. […] With more time, the first meetings might start in the fall to take more time to understand the project.

Miguel Lemieux recognizes that this is a challenge for the city, which “must do accelerated learning” in order to distinguish myth from reality. He also consulted other municipalities that have a wind farm to get his head on the subject.

Positive

Besides the impact on the landscape, the mayor highlighted several positive elements of the project.

“The opponents talk regarding the potentially negative points, but there are also very positive elements, recalled Miguel Lemieux. This makes it possible to participate in ensuring that green energy is marketed. This is still what our citizens are asking us to do more for climate change.”

“To say no to green energy is not logical in the current context,” he added. There are also very generous financial compensations for communities. We are talking regarding several million dollars annually […]. For us, we might seek four to five million dollars annually.”

On the social level, the project might therefore have a considerable impact, according to the principal concerned.

The wind project “might fund a lot of social programs for a generation,” said Miguel Lemieux.

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