Tour dates:
Monday, June 25: Alhambra Hall, Grand Bend, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, June 26: Aeolian Hall, London, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 27: Chatham Banquet and Conference Centre, Chatham-Kent, 7 p.m.
While Alberta may be better known for its oil and gas resources, it is also the birthplace of wind energy in Canada. The first wind farm — in Pincher Creek, Alberta — began producing electricity in 1993, and now there are communities and landowners in southern Alberta who have almost 20 years of experience with wind turbines on their own land, and on their neighbours’ land.
In Ontario, wind farms are a more recent addition to the rural landscape. While Ontario has been Canada’s leader in wind energy for many years, the advent of the Green Energy Act in 2009 has meant that rural Ontario landowners are seeing more proposals for wind power projects near their communities.
That’s why we have arranged for Heidi Eijgel — an Albertan rancher with a decade of experience living next to a wind farm — to tour Southern Ontario and share her experiences. Heidi will be making three stops on the tour, in Grand Bend, London and Chatham-Kent. The events are open to the public and we’d like you to join us.
From Monday June 25 through Wednesday, June 27, Heidi will share her story and answer questions from Ontarians. As Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy for the Pembina Institute, I will also be on hand to facilitate the discussion and answer questions. I hope to see you there.
About Heidi
Heidi Eijgel raises horses on a ranch 700m from Summerview Wind Farm, a 70.2 MW wind power project in southern Alberta. Heidi and her husband do not have an ownership stake in the wind farm, but for 10 years they have been some of the wind farm’s closest neighbours as well as some of its biggest advocates.
Watch this short video to hear more about Heidi’s story:
