Chatham-Kent Council has voted against reconsidering a motion from Councillor Amy Finn that would have declared the municipality an “unwilling host” for new wind turbine projects.
During Monday’s meeting, held November 3, Council fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to bring the issue back for debate. Eleven councillors voted in favour, while six voted against, causing the motion to fail.
After the vote, a member of the audience shouted “shame, shame” toward Council before leaving the chamber.
Several residents made deputations earlier in the meeting, most urging Council to support Finn’s position. There was no discussion or debate following the failed reconsideration.
Finn’s motion called on Council to formally oppose the development of any new wind turbine projects in Chatham-Kent. It cited ongoing concerns from residents living near existing turbines about noise, health, and water quality impacts, as well as gaps in the enforcement of environmental and noise standards. The motion also noted that the municipality had not yet received a response from the Ministry of Health regarding an “All Hazard Investigation” letter sent in May 2023.
Bruce McAllister, general manager of development, said the motion would have had little immediate effect on future projects.
“The proposal submission deadline for the IESO LT2(e-1) RFP window was Thursday, October 16, 2025,” McAllister said. “A local Municipal Support Resolution was a mandatory requirement in order for proponents to submit a proposal to the IESO. Therefore, when Council refused to provide Municipal Support Resolutions for the two proposed wind projects on October 6, 2025, it had the same effect as an Unwilling Host Motion. Therefore, no new wind project proposals will be coming forward in the foreseeable future.”
He added that the IESO has not yet announced a specific date for the second round of proposals, expected in 2026.
“The requirement for a Municipal Support Resolution in advance of the proposal submission deadline is not a legislative requirement,” McAllister said.
“It [is] based on a Minister’s Directive through an Order in Council in November 2024, which provided several policy directions to the IESO to be included in the LT2 RFP. Municipal support resolutions being required at the time of bid submission was one of the policy directions.”
McAllister noted that if future requests for proposals include the same requirement, Council would still have the opportunity to evaluate any new wind projects “on their own merit.”
