For Immediate Release:
June 1, 2010
Queens Park – Mayors of Oakville and Haldimand watched on as the Opposition pressed the case for government to consider Nanticoke as an alternative for energy production currently slated for an opposed Clarkson natural gas plant.
“The people of Oakville have told you they don’t want the proposed gas fired power plant in the overtaxed Clarkson airshed. The people of Haldimand have proposed an alternative location – Nanticoke.” Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh noted. “The Mayor’s of Oakville and Haldimand are here today to ask you stop ignoring their alternative proposal. Will you start to listen?”
With little acknowledgement from the Minister, MPP Chudleigh restated his question.
“Minister, this proposal is a rare win-win situation. Oakville doesn’t want the proposed plant which you propose to put in an overtaxed air-shed close to homes, schools and day care centres,” reported Chudleigh. “Haldimand and Norfolk want the power plant and have the long-term experience and infrastructure to provide Ontario with reliable energy supply. You have this proposal, when can the mayors of Haldimand and Oakville expect a response?”
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett who had earlier asked the government about the folly of new carbon taxes, noted that he and MPP Chudleigh have spoken with many from the Halton and Nanticoke areas in hopes of convincing government of maintaining energy production at Nanticoke. Barrett added that with the transmission lines already in place and local high-skilled electricity workers facing government imposed job cuts by 2015, the choice for government should be a “no-brainer”.
Mayor Trainer and Oakville Mayor Rob Burton hosted a media conference later in the day to further make the case for the Nanticoke Option.
“We have it all in Haldimand County – we have the space and the transmission lines,” said Mayor Trainer. “We invite the Premier and the Minister down to see for themselves the potential for a clear solution to the Oakville gas plant problem.”
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at
(519) 428-0446 or (905)-765-8413, 1-800-903-8629