NIMBYism kills power plant proposal
The surprise announcement marks a victory for local residents, who complained that the 900-megawatt,gas-fired power station would be too close to neighbouring homes and schools and pose health and safety risks. But it also leaves in tatters Premier Dalton McGuinty's pledge that he won't tolerate the "not-in-my-backyard" attitude of opponents to green-energy projects, his flagship job-creation initiative.
Energy Minister Brad Duguid announced at a hastily called news conference in Oakville that the plant won't be built anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area. Rather, he said, the province can meet the electricity needs of homes, hospitals, schools and businesses by building more transmission lines and with 8,000 megawatts of new, cleaner power added in recent years.
"The investments that we have made in the energy system have given us the reassurance that we no longer require this gas plant," Mr. Duguid said. "There are better ways to move forward and indeed a transmission solution is the way to go."
Opposition members said government officials had a change of heart when they realized the plant could cost them a seat in next year's provincial election. Kevin Flynn, Liberal MPP for the riding of Oakville, had introduced a private member's bill to stop the plant.
"Politically, it was one bad poll and they cancelled it," said Progressive Conservative MPP Ted Chudleigh.
New Democrat energy critic Peter Tabuns said government officials have insisted for more than a year that the Oakville plant was absolutely necessary to meet growing demand for electricity.
"Now all of a sudden, coincidentally enough with an election looming, they say that there is more than enough electricity supply," he said.
Mr. Duguid denied suggestions that NIMBYism played a role in defeating the plant. About 2,500 members of a group calling itself Citizens for Clean Air protested on the front lawn of the provincial legislature earlier this year. Just last week, the group paid Erin Brockovich, an anti-pollution activist played by film star Julia Roberts on the silver screen, to attend several events to call attention to its fight with the province.
"We're pleased that the government was listening to us," Frank Clegg, the group's chairman, said in an interview. "It's not just an Oakville issue. It could happen in anyone's neighbourhood."
The group's success in blocking the plant does not at all show that well-heeled NIMBYs in Oakville can have more sway with government than those in less affluent neighbourhoods, he said.
"This effort was not a bunch of people writing big cheques," he said. "We have hundreds and hundreds of volunteers. When you have 2,500 people at a rally, it's not because people have money."
Mr. Clegg said he does not know how much Ms. Brockovich was paid.
Related News

Parisians vote to ban rental e-scooters from French capital by huge margin
PARIS - Parisians have voted to rid the streets of the French capital of rental electric scooters, with an overwhelming 90% of votes cast supporting a ban, official results show.
Paris was a pioneer when it introduced e-scooters, or trottinettes, in 2018 as the city’s authorities sought to promote non-polluting forms of urban transport.
But as the two-wheeled vehicles grew in popularity, especially among young people, so did the number of accidents: in 2022, three people died and 459 were injured in e-scooter accidents in Paris.
In what was billed as a “public consultation” voters were asked: “For or against self-service scooters?”
Twenty-one polling…