A plan agreement has been approved in St. Clair Township clearing the way for a new gas-fired power plant. It is meant to replace the one planned for Mississauga that was scrapped by the Ontario Liberals.
On Monday St. Clair council passed an agreement that said Eastern Power could seek permits for the plant and site preparation for the new plan has already started.
But the project has been controversial from day one, when the replacement plant in St. Clair Township was planned after the provincial government announced plants in Mississauga and Oakville would be cancelled.
All told the cancellations cost taxpayers $1.1 billion. But that isn't the only thing that has Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley upset.
“We have talked and talked and talked to the Ontario government about changing Lambton Generating to natural gas. This other decision, we were not consulted on. They simply made the announcement and we were told it was coming to Lambton County.”
The new site is just kilometres away from the Lambton Generating Station - a coal-fired station slated for closure in 2014 - taking 300 jobs with it. The new plant will bring just 35 jobs to the region.
There are others who have health concerns.
Ada Lockridge of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation “I still don't know the cumulative effects of everything that is already here. And the wind blows in every direction.”
CTV contacted St. Clair Township Mayor Steve Arnold for comment Wednesday, but he couldn't be reached and no one from Eastern Power was available to speak.
