For Immediate Release
February 11, 2013
Simcoe – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett says changes to Health Canada’s wind study take direct aim at previously unexamined indirect adverse health effects of industrial wind turbines – acknowledging a key complaint of concerned residents.
Changes to the study were announced following the submission of more than 950 public comments during consultations to inform the committee on how the study should be guided. The changes will ensure new considerations for the assessment of low-frequency infrasound and a questionnaire to be administered by Statistics Canada. The comments reflected a common chief complaint that infrasound (an indirect effect) caused by wind turbines can lead to adverse health effects.
“Finally some level of government is listening to the people these turbines are directly – or indirectly as the case may be – impacting,” said Barrett. “While we continue to await any acknowledgment whatsoever from the provincial government, the Health Canada announcement may help us finally shed some light on continued complaints about wind turbines.”
The Health Canada study will initially focus on residents in 2,000 homes within proximity of industrial wind turbines. The study will be led by more than 25 experts in acoustics, health assessment, and medicine, and will include four international advisors.
Barrett went on to note that the changes follow revelations announced by Opposition Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson over Freedom Of Information documents from the Ministry of Environment indicating the province knew of the adverse indirect health effects.
“This change in Health Canada’s study criteria further goes to prove that we need a provincial moratorium now, while this important study is being completed,” said Thompson. “This government cannot continue to sit idle on the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s 2010 ‘study’ which only looked a the direct health impacts of wind turbines, like a blade falling off and hitting a passerby. It is irresponsible of this government to put the health of Ontarians at risk without knowing the facts.”
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For more information contact
Toby Barrett 519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629