Looking to stay true to his promise to cut hydro costs by 12 per cent, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is axing more than 758 renewable energy contracts across the province.
In southwestern Ontario, the Tories have nixed over 200 deals signed by the previous Liberal government, according to a Postmedia report.
The controversial Strong Breeze wind farm project, which saw the previous government impose a contract onto the community of Dutton Dunwich even though it voted against it, is one of the 218 projects slated to wind down.
Construction of another project in Wallaceburg and Chatham-Kent was set to begin next year, but the 12-turbine Otter Creek wind farm has now been cancelled.
Fourteen solar energy projects outside the city involving London Hydro are also being nixed, as is a project that would have seen solar farms built along former CN railway corridors in the region.
But, the cancellations don’t include the 34-turbine North Kent Wind Project in Chatham-Kent, which was developed by Samsung and U.S. based Pattern Energy Group.
According to the government’s massive list of contracts being eliminated, only 10 are with large energy producers.
The cancellations will save ratepayers $790 million, said officials with the Progressive Conservatives.
Critics say cancelling renewable energy contracts will hurt thousands of jobs across the province and damage air and water quality. They also said it shows the province is turning its back on the global renewable industry.