Written By David Gomez, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SOUTHWEST MIDDLESEX – A recent presentation by Venfor Inc. proposing the construction of 17 wind turbines within the municipality has ignited a strong public backlash, as residents raise concerns over environmental impacts, long-term land use, and community transparency.
On July 16, representatives from Venfor Inc. appeared before council to present their plan to participate in Ontario’s Long-Term 2 (LT2) electricity procurement process. The company seeks municipal approval in the form of a Municipal Support Resolution (MSR), a requirement for its bid submission to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) this fall.
Peter Budd, a founding shareholder of Venfor Inc., emphasized the urgency of Ontario’s energy shortage. “We know we are short of electricity in Ontario,” Budd told council. “We are importing. The demand is going to double by 2050.” He positioned the project as an opportunity for the municipality to secure new revenue streams through a Community Benefits Agreement, estimating $300,000 annually for every 100 megawatts of energy generated. Each proposed turbine would produce 6.1 megawatts, with the current configuration surpassing 100 megawatts.
The company claims to have signed option and lease agreements with 17 landowners and offered $30,000 per year to each for hosting a turbine, potentially over 20 to 30 years. Deputy Mayor Mike Sholdice raised questions about the turbine count and compensation, while Councillor Ed Myers expressed concerns about groundwater contamination, citing “horror stories in other municipalities.” Budd assured that a full hydrogeological study would be conducted, referencing lessons learned from past issues in Chatham-Kent.
Despite these assurances, residents have voiced overwhelming opposition. A Facebook post by Deputy Mayor Sholdice requesting feedback on the proposal garnered over 100 public comments within days, with the vast majority opposing the project. Residents cited concerns about noise pollution, aesthetics, health impacts, and damage to wildlife and farmland. “Wind turbines ruin the landscape and take away any sense of peace that comes with country living,” wrote one resident. Others questioned the lifespan and reliability of the technology, warning that “they start severely degrading around 10–15 years” despite being marketed for 20–30 years of use.
Water safety emerged as a particularly emotional flashpoint. One commenter claimed, “This was our well water immediately after they started pile driving the H beams into the ground,” accompanied by a photo of visibly contaminated water. “They hammered 100-foot steel beams into the aquifer… and the vibrations never let the sediment settle,” another added. These stories have prompted fears of long-term environmental degradation and public health risks.
In response, a petition titled Say No to Wind Turbines in Southwest Middlesex was launched online and has begun collecting signatures from residents opposing the project. The sentiment shared among many is that while renewable energy is necessary, this particular development may impose too great a cost on the local community.
The presentation also noted that Venfor intends to include First Nations equity partnerships and comply with all provincial regulations, including an Agricultural Impact Assessment and Environmental Review. However, some residents remained unconvinced, with several noting that Venfor is primarily a development firm and may sell the project once permits and agreements are secured. “Venfor is not the company seeing the project through to decommissioning,” one commenter wrote. “They won’t be the ones honouring the original terms.”
Mayor Allan Mayhew thanked the delegation and confirmed that council would deliberate further. “The proposal cannot proceed without municipal support,” he said. Council is expected to make a decision by mid-October to meet the IESO’s deadline.
For now, the community remains sharply divided. While some landowners see financial incentive, many residents are calling for more public meetings and transparency before any resolution is passed. As one citizen wrote: “If council votes yes, they should put them in their own backyard first and tell us how it works out.”
