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Do you agree with the OFA that no more wind turbines should be built until a number of issues are dealt with?

The OFA has made a call to the Ontario government to suspend industrial wind turbines saying there are too many unanswered questions about its value, and that the debate over turbines is polarizing rural communities.

Read the OFA article - click here.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree that no more wind turbines should be built until a number of issues are dealt with?

Take the POLL: Do you think Ontario should halt wind turbines? click here

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Political posturing is usually done to help gain a position or some kind of advantage.  What could OFA possibly gain by going against wind turbines when everything green must be sacrosanct by this McGuinty gov't.  Ever thought that people dealing with these developments are finally fed up and are finally getting a voice.  I commend OFA for having the courage to question the value of supposed "green" energies like wind.  This McGuinty gov't shows contempt for all rural residents, not just farmers  because he knows that it's the city vote that get's him elected. 

Joann said:

I don't believe this is anything more than political posturing.

Our Premier has, in my personal opinion, shown nothing short of contempt towards farmers for the past 9 years.

Ontario is preparing for a budget.  The OFA dealt the first hand.


It will be interesting to see how the government play their cards.

The Province has to prepare a budget.  We all know the huge deficit Mr. McGuinty created and the economy is headed downhill for the next foreseeable future....maybe the slide will be stalled by the USA printing more money until the election is over......but we are standing on the edge of a cliff right now.  That means CUTS and more FEES.  Fees is the preferable word to TAXES but it does have the same result.  

You can bet the government will make cuts and increase revenue through fees a/o taxes.

But where to cut?

The OFA has put the current Liberal leadership and the potential leadership (Mr. Bentley) on notice.  Mr. Bentley needs the rural vote, now more than ever. The OFA needs to protect agriculture from further financial erosion or their organization will be at risk.


Colette McLean said:


Political posturing is usually done to help gain a position or some kind of advantage.  What could OFA possibly gain by going against wind turbines when everything green must be sacrosanct by this McGuinty gov't.  Ever thought that people dealing with these developments are finally fed up and are finally getting a voice.  I commend OFA for having the courage to question the value of supposed "green" energies like wind.  This McGuinty gov't shows contempt for all rural residents, not just farmers  because he knows that it's the city vote that get's him elected. 

Joann said:

I don't believe this is anything more than political posturing.

Our Premier has, in my personal opinion, shown nothing short of contempt towards farmers for the past 9 years.

Ontario is preparing for a budget.  The OFA dealt the first hand.


It will be interesting to see how the government play their cards.

For those who think that Europe is smitten with Industrial wind turbines.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/297150/MPS-bid-to-halt-hot-air-...

At present, there are about 3,000 onshore wind turbines with a few hundred off shore. They generate less than two per cent of the nation’s power and are frequently brought to a standstill by too cold or too windy conditions.

The same goes for solar energy

 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,809439,00.html

Solar energy has gone from being the great white hope, to an impediment to a reliable energy supply

Well don't you think that those initiatives which cannot show themselves to provide any cost benefit for the Ontario taxpayer or ratepayer, should be cancelled at least to help stop this huge deficit.  Green Energy has been forecasted as adding over $300 per household to provide a handful of developers using 75% foreign product to maintain their business case for 20 years.   Cut green energy!!! 

Joann said:

The Province has to prepare a budget.  We all know the huge deficit Mr. McGuinty created and the economy is headed downhill for the next foreseeable future....maybe the slide will be stalled by the USA printing more money until the election is over......but we are standing on the edge of a cliff right now.  That means CUTS and more FEES.  Fees is the preferable word to TAXES but it does have the same result.  

You can bet the government will make cuts and increase revenue through fees a/o taxes.

But where to cut?

The OFA has put the current Liberal leadership and the potential leadership (Mr. Bentley) on notice.  Mr. Bentley needs the rural vote, now more than ever. The OFA needs to protect agriculture from further financial erosion or their organization will be at risk.


Colette McLean said:


Political posturing is usually done to help gain a position or some kind of advantage.  What could OFA possibly gain by going against wind turbines when everything green must be sacrosanct by this McGuinty gov't.  Ever thought that people dealing with these developments are finally fed up and are finally getting a voice.  I commend OFA for having the courage to question the value of supposed "green" energies like wind.  This McGuinty gov't shows contempt for all rural residents, not just farmers  because he knows that it's the city vote that get's him elected. 

Joann said:

I don't believe this is anything more than political posturing.

Our Premier has, in my personal opinion, shown nothing short of contempt towards farmers for the past 9 years.

Ontario is preparing for a budget.  The OFA dealt the first hand.


It will be interesting to see how the government play their cards.

Hey we get it Colette,

You are against windmills because you don't like the look on one on your neighbour's property.  Solar is bad too...come on and give it a rest.

You are likely the same person that a couple of years ago was moaning about Global Warming and that we had to do something.

NIMBY at is finest.

I hope Mark Wales stated his position on this issue before he was elected.  An awfully fast change in position for OFA as the new executive are being briefed on the issues.

 

 

It's always interesting to see how others must define one's reality & launch ad hominens rather then base their opinions on careful examination of the info. which clearly the OFA has done.  Comments like this always end up playing the NIMBY card, never considering that people who are DIRECTLY dealing with these kinds of development have spent years researching, & looking @ both the pros & cons. It's been 5 yrs for me, & the more I read on our energy issues,  the more I see that wind & solar are nothing but a boondoggle.  I know that runs counter to your intuitive thinking Roadrunner, (who obviously doesn't have the courage to use his real name,) and strikes at the heart of your  lack of critical thinking skills. And despite your pre-conceived idea on my stance about Global Warming, even if I did believe in Global Warming , even will all of the thousands of  turbines & solar panels erected, not one coal or NG plant has been shut down and wind with it's pittance of output (25% yearly average @ best)  will only displace 1% of Ontario emissions & provide at best 5% of Ontario's electrical needs.  So you see even the issue about cleaning up our air by shutting down dirty coal is not even true because wind is inefficient, intermittent, unreliable, non dispatchable and requires fossil fuel backup to counter it's fickle power. Again,  I would suggest that you read the AG's (that's Auditor General) report   http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/reports_en/en11/303en11.pdf

 

 Roadrunner said:

Hey we get it Colette,

You are against windmills because you don't like the look on one on your neighbour's property.  Solar is bad too...come on and give it a rest.

You are likely the same person that a couple of years ago was moaning about Global Warming and that we had to do something.

NIMBY at is finest.

I hope Mark Wales stated his position on this issue before he was elected.  An awfully fast change in position for OFA as the new executive are being briefed on the issues.

 

 

It is interesting that you mention the Provincial Auditor.

I will not comment on the sustainability of the wind projects as I do not know the current nor long term status of our energy infrastructure.

I have to question the motives of the recent OFA statement as they, until the very recent past, has been the largest and loudest cheer leaders for most urban mandated Provincial policies in regards to land use.  I don't believe enough research has been done by the organization to make a completely informed opinion on the matter as evident by their recent policy reversal.  I have a suspicion, in my private opinion, that politics cloud their positions.

But everyone is fogetting to ask the basis and foundational questions when it comes to Green Energy in agricultural terms.

Pardon me for borrowing a line from a Hollywood movie but...... the question that needs to be asked is "Who owns the wind"?

The Sovereign granted land patents to qualifying farmers.  In doing so, as in the words of Lt. Gov. Simcoe in his first speech to Parliament in 1792 as the Representative of the Sovereign, he stated that the Sovereign appropriated the "soil and climate" to a special class of people,........ the farmers through signed, signed and registered contracts.  Contracts docketed by the Provincial Auditor.

Farmers were given possession of the climate from the SovereignFarmers have Sovereign rights to the climate and the Auditor must hold that to account as his office legally registered the documents.

Therefore:  If a farmer legally owns a Sovereign contract for possession of the climate in a prescribed geographical area, who am I to say he can or cannot install windmills?

Does the OFA have the legal authority to grant the Province permission to force farmers to harvest the wind?

When a farmer signs a contract for harvesting wind, what is the farmer really giving up?  His Sovereign right to the climate?  I believe so.

The issues around green energy policies are truly, in my opinion, much bigger and deeper than anyone has yet to mention..... and that is where I believe the OFA has truly fallen down.



Colette McLean said:

It's always interesting to see how others must define one's reality & launch ad hominens rather then base their opinions on careful examination of the info. which clearly the OFA has done.  Comments like this always end up playing the NIMBY card, never considering that people who are DIRECTLY dealing with these kinds of development have spent years researching, & looking @ both the pros & cons. It's been 5 yrs for me, & the more I read on our energy issues,  the more I see that wind & solar are nothing but a boondoggle.  I know that runs counter to your intuitive thinking Roadrunner, (who obviously doesn't have the courage to use his real name,) and strikes at the heart of your  lack of critical thinking skills. And despite your pre-conceived idea on my stance about Global Warming, even if I did believe in Global Warming , even will all of the thousands of  turbines & solar panels erected, not one coal or NG plant has been shut down and wind with it's pittance of output (25% yearly average @ best)  will only displace 1% of Ontario emissions & provide at best 5% of Ontario's electrical needs.  So you see even the issue about cleaning up our air by shutting down dirty coal is not even true because wind is inefficient, intermittent, unreliable, non dispatchable and requires fossil fuel backup to counter it's fickle power. Again,  I would suggest that you read the AG's (that's Auditor General) report   http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/reports_en/en11/303en11.pdf

 

Yes, Joann farmers have the rights to their land but you forget is that enacted within the Planning Act are provisions which protect those rights with stipulations to also protect adjoining nearby and abutting land rights.  One's person rights cannot overshadow another's,  that's called democracy which sadly the GEA has thrown out the window.

You dissertation is side tracking the base issue, which is whether gov't policy that is being forced on the Ontario taxpayer and using their tax $$ is sustainable and is providing a return to the PUBLIC.  In the case of wind & solar energy, it is not!  The AG's report clearly questions this because the cost benefit analysis was not done by this McGuinty gov't. 

I would sugges going through this presentation to understand more clearly the problems with wind energy. http://www.slideshare.net/JohnDroz/energy-presentationkey-presentation


Joann said:

It is interesting that you mention the Provincial Auditor.

I will not comment on the sustainability of the wind projects as I do not know the current nor long term status of our energy infrastructure.

I have to question the motives of the recent OFA statement as they, until the very recent past, has been the largest and loudest cheer leaders for most urban mandated Provincial policies in regards to land use.  I don't believe enough research has been done by the organization to make a completely informed opinion on the matter as evident by their recent policy reversal.  I have a suspicion, in my private opinion, that politics cloud their positions.

But everyone is fogetting to ask the basis and foundational questions when it comes to Green Energy in agricultural terms.

Pardon me for borrowing a line from a Hollywood movie but...... the question that needs to be asked is "Who owns the wind"?

The Sovereign granted land patents to qualifying farmers.  In doing so, as in the words of Lt. Gov. Simcoe in his first speech to Parliament in 1792 as the Representative of the Sovereign, he stated that the Sovereign appropriated the "soil and climate" to a special class of people,........ the farmers through signed, signed and registered contracts.  Contracts docketed by the Provincial Auditor.

Farmers were given possession of the climate from the SovereignFarmers have Sovereign rights to the climate and the Auditor must hold that to account as his office legally registered the documents.

Therefore:  If a farmer legally owns a Sovereign contract for possession of the climate in a prescribed geographical area, who am I to say he can or cannot install windmills?

Does the OFA have the legal authority to grant the Province permission to force farmers to harvest the wind?

When a farmer signs a contract for harvesting wind, what is the farmer really giving up?  His Sovereign right to the climate?  I believe so.

The issues around green energy policies are truly, in my opinion, much bigger and deeper than anyone has yet to mention..... and that is where I believe the OFA has truly fallen down.



Colette McLean said:

It's always interesting to see how others must define one's reality & launch ad hominens rather then base their opinions on careful examination of the info. which clearly the OFA has done.  Comments like this always end up playing the NIMBY card, never considering that people who are DIRECTLY dealing with these kinds of development have spent years researching, & looking @ both the pros & cons. It's been 5 yrs for me, & the more I read on our energy issues,  the more I see that wind & solar are nothing but a boondoggle.  I know that runs counter to your intuitive thinking Roadrunner, (who obviously doesn't have the courage to use his real name,) and strikes at the heart of your  lack of critical thinking skills. And despite your pre-conceived idea on my stance about Global Warming, even if I did believe in Global Warming , even will all of the thousands of  turbines & solar panels erected, not one coal or NG plant has been shut down and wind with it's pittance of output (25% yearly average @ best)  will only displace 1% of Ontario emissions & provide at best 5% of Ontario's electrical needs.  So you see even the issue about cleaning up our air by shutting down dirty coal is not even true because wind is inefficient, intermittent, unreliable, non dispatchable and requires fossil fuel backup to counter it's fickle power. Again,  I would suggest that you read the AG's (that's Auditor General) report   http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/reports_en/en11/303en11.pdf

 

I disagree.   The rights farmers have come from the Sovereign.  Not from the Crown in the Right of Ontario.  Not from provincial nor federal legislation. 

The farmers' rights are entrenched in Sovereign contracts.  The contracts are individually awarded rights to farmers long before the collective rights of municipalities were even formed.  

Individual rights trump collective rights.... especially when awarded by the Sovereign.

Land Use Policies regarding agriculture is in a class unto itself.

When the Sovereign appropriated those rights......that means if the Public wishes to encroach on those rights.... they must expropriate the rights or the farmer gives up those rights voluntarily.

Having said that.... it is equally important that farmers ensure that they obtain all pre-land grant contracts that pertain to their specfic piece of land.   What rights did the Crown retain in those Warrants????

The land grant is only one document registered to the land.  There are pre-documents that need to be investigated.... documents the government is not freely supplying to the rightfully affected persons.

Colette McLean said:

Yes, Joann farmers have the rights to their land but you forget is that enacted within the Planning Act are provisions which protect those rights with stipulations to also protect adjoining nearby and abutting land rights.  One's person rights cannot overshadow another's,  that's called democracy which sadly the GEA has thrown out the window.

You dissertation is side tracking the base issue, which is whether gov't policy that is being forced on the Ontario taxpayer and using their tax $$ is sustainable and is providing a return to the PUBLIC.  In the case of wind & solar energy, it is not!  The AG's report clearly questions this because the cost benefit analysis was not done by this McGuinty gov't. 

I would sugges going through this presentation to understand more clearly the problems with wind energy. http://www.slideshare.net/JohnDroz/energy-presentationkey-presentation


Joann said:

It is interesting that you mention the Provincial Auditor.

I will not comment on the sustainability of the wind projects as I do not know the current nor long term status of our energy infrastructure.

I have to question the motives of the recent OFA statement as they, until the very recent past, has been the largest and loudest cheer leaders for most urban mandated Provincial policies in regards to land use.  I don't believe enough research has been done by the organization to make a completely informed opinion on the matter as evident by their recent policy reversal.  I have a suspicion, in my private opinion, that politics cloud their positions.

But everyone is fogetting to ask the basis and foundational questions when it comes to Green Energy in agricultural terms.

Pardon me for borrowing a line from a Hollywood movie but...... the question that needs to be asked is "Who owns the wind"?

The Sovereign granted land patents to qualifying farmers.  In doing so, as in the words of Lt. Gov. Simcoe in his first speech to Parliament in 1792 as the Representative of the Sovereign, he stated that the Sovereign appropriated the "soil and climate" to a special class of people,........ the farmers through signed, signed and registered contracts.  Contracts docketed by the Provincial Auditor.

Farmers were given possession of the climate from the SovereignFarmers have Sovereign rights to the climate and the Auditor must hold that to account as his office legally registered the documents.

Therefore:  If a farmer legally owns a Sovereign contract for possession of the climate in a prescribed geographical area, who am I to say he can or cannot install windmills?

Does the OFA have the legal authority to grant the Province permission to force farmers to harvest the wind?

When a farmer signs a contract for harvesting wind, what is the farmer really giving up?  His Sovereign right to the climate?  I believe so.

The issues around green energy policies are truly, in my opinion, much bigger and deeper than anyone has yet to mention..... and that is where I believe the OFA has truly fallen down.



Colette McLean said:

It's always interesting to see how others must define one's reality & launch ad hominens rather then base their opinions on careful examination of the info. which clearly the OFA has done.  Comments like this always end up playing the NIMBY card, never considering that people who are DIRECTLY dealing with these kinds of development have spent years researching, & looking @ both the pros & cons. It's been 5 yrs for me, & the more I read on our energy issues,  the more I see that wind & solar are nothing but a boondoggle.  I know that runs counter to your intuitive thinking Roadrunner, (who obviously doesn't have the courage to use his real name,) and strikes at the heart of your  lack of critical thinking skills. And despite your pre-conceived idea on my stance about Global Warming, even if I did believe in Global Warming , even will all of the thousands of  turbines & solar panels erected, not one coal or NG plant has been shut down and wind with it's pittance of output (25% yearly average @ best)  will only displace 1% of Ontario emissions & provide at best 5% of Ontario's electrical needs.  So you see even the issue about cleaning up our air by shutting down dirty coal is not even true because wind is inefficient, intermittent, unreliable, non dispatchable and requires fossil fuel backup to counter it's fickle power. Again,  I would suggest that you read the AG's (that's Auditor General) report   http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/reports_en/en11/303en11.pdf

 

 

"When the Sovereign appropriated those rights......that means if the Public wishes to encroach on those rights.... they must expropriate the rights or the farmer gives up those rights voluntarily"

And exactly what do you think has happened Joann with the GEA.  Farmers have given up their rights and entrenched in the contracts they have signed with these wind developers are things like first rights of refusal, postponement of mortages, full easements on not only property, but soil, aggregates, water etc.   Now that time has passed, the consequences of these green projects on ones property are showing up.  Have a look at the Ontario Real Estate Association recent info. on addressing properties with "green" energy projects installed.  

 I do agree with you that there is a  much bigger issue on "sovereign" land rights that is being ignored.

The new Green Energy clauses are:

  • GREEN-1: Condition – MicroFIT Contract
  • GREEN-2: Acknowledgement – MicroFIT Contract
  • GREEN-3: Decommissioning Renewable Energy Facility
  • GREEN-4: Renewable Energy Projects
  • GREEN-5: Wind Turbines – Warranty

The first two clauses deals with the microFIT stream of the provincial government’s Feed-In Tariff program for renewable energy generation, launched in September 2009. The program is operated by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).

MicroFIT is designed to encourage homeowners and businesses to generate renewable energy with projects of 10 kilowatts or less. Homeowners and businesses must apply to the OPA to participate in the program. For more information, go to http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca.

Clause GREEN-1 provides the buyer with the opportunity to review the terms of an existing microFIT contract on the property, if applicable. Clause GREEN-2 confirms the buyer has reviewed the microFIT contract, if applicable.

The balance of the clauses confirms/warrants the following:

•  GREEN-3 – confirms that the buyer understands he/she may be responsible for decommissioning the renewable energy installation at expense of the property owner

•  GREEN 4 – confirms that the buyer is aware of proposed or existing renewable energy projects in the area

•  GREEN 5 – warrants that the seller is not aware of any renewable energy projects for the immediate area

Clause GREEN-5 can be altered to reference solar energy collectors.

Green energy is a complicated topic. REALTORS® must be prepared to create specific clauses to deal with unique circumstances as they arise. In addition, REALTORS® should be aware that renewable energy installations can affect the insurability of a property, and clauses may be required to verify the insurability of the property.

For More Information

The clauses are posted in the Members Only section of OREA’s website (www.orea.com).


Joann said:

I disagree.   The rights farmers have come from the Sovereign.  Not from the Crown in the Right of Ontario.  Not from provincial nor federal legislation. 

The farmers' rights are entrenched in Sovereign contracts.  The contracts are individually awarded rights to farmers long before the collective rights of municipalities were even formed.  

Individual rights trump collective rights.... especially when awarded by the Sovereign.

Land Use Policies regarding agriculture is in a class unto itself.

When the Sovereign appropriated those rights......that means if the Public wishes to encroach on those rights.... they must expropriate the rights or the farmer gives up those rights voluntarily.

Having said that.... it is equally important that farmers ensure that they obtain all pre-land grant contracts that pertain to their specfic piece of land.   What rights did the Crown retain in those Warrants????

The land grant is only one document registered to the land.  There are pre-documents that need to be investigated.... documents the government is not freely supplying to the rightfully affected persons.

Colette McLean said:

Yes, Joann farmers have the rights to their land but you forget is that enacted within the Planning Act are provisions which protect those rights with stipulations to also protect adjoining nearby and abutting land rights.  One's person rights cannot overshadow another's,  that's called democracy which sadly the GEA has thrown out the window.

You dissertation is side tracking the base issue, which is whether gov't policy that is being forced on the Ontario taxpayer and using their tax $$ is sustainable and is providing a return to the PUBLIC.  In the case of wind & solar energy, it is not!  The AG's report clearly questions this because the cost benefit analysis was not done by this McGuinty gov't. 

I would sugges going through this presentation to understand more clearly the problems with wind energy. http://www.slideshare.net/JohnDroz/energy-presentationkey-presentation


Joann said:

It is interesting that you mention the Provincial Auditor.

I will not comment on the sustainability of the wind projects as I do not know the current nor long term status of our energy infrastructure.

I have to question the motives of the recent OFA statement as they, until the very recent past, has been the largest and loudest cheer leaders for most urban mandated Provincial policies in regards to land use.  I don't believe enough research has been done by the organization to make a completely informed opinion on the matter as evident by their recent policy reversal.  I have a suspicion, in my private opinion, that politics cloud their positions.

But everyone is fogetting to ask the basis and foundational questions when it comes to Green Energy in agricultural terms.

Pardon me for borrowing a line from a Hollywood movie but...... the question that needs to be asked is "Who owns the wind"?

The Sovereign granted land patents to qualifying farmers.  In doing so, as in the words of Lt. Gov. Simcoe in his first speech to Parliament in 1792 as the Representative of the Sovereign, he stated that the Sovereign appropriated the "soil and climate" to a special class of people,........ the farmers through signed, signed and registered contracts.  Contracts docketed by the Provincial Auditor.

Farmers were given possession of the climate from the SovereignFarmers have Sovereign rights to the climate and the Auditor must hold that to account as his office legally registered the documents.

Therefore:  If a farmer legally owns a Sovereign contract for possession of the climate in a prescribed geographical area, who am I to say he can or cannot install windmills?

Does the OFA have the legal authority to grant the Province permission to force farmers to harvest the wind?

When a farmer signs a contract for harvesting wind, what is the farmer really giving up?  His Sovereign right to the climate?  I believe so.

The issues around green energy policies are truly, in my opinion, much bigger and deeper than anyone has yet to mention..... and that is where I believe the OFA has truly fallen down.



Colette McLean said:

It's always interesting to see how others must define one's reality & launch ad hominens rather then base their opinions on careful examination of the info. which clearly the OFA has done.  Comments like this always end up playing the NIMBY card, never considering that people who are DIRECTLY dealing with these kinds of development have spent years researching, & looking @ both the pros & cons. It's been 5 yrs for me, & the more I read on our energy issues,  the more I see that wind & solar are nothing but a boondoggle.  I know that runs counter to your intuitive thinking Roadrunner, (who obviously doesn't have the courage to use his real name,) and strikes at the heart of your  lack of critical thinking skills. And despite your pre-conceived idea on my stance about Global Warming, even if I did believe in Global Warming , even will all of the thousands of  turbines & solar panels erected, not one coal or NG plant has been shut down and wind with it's pittance of output (25% yearly average @ best)  will only displace 1% of Ontario emissions & provide at best 5% of Ontario's electrical needs.  So you see even the issue about cleaning up our air by shutting down dirty coal is not even true because wind is inefficient, intermittent, unreliable, non dispatchable and requires fossil fuel backup to counter it's fickle power. Again,  I would suggest that you read the AG's (that's Auditor General) report   http://www.auditor.on.ca/en/reports_en/en11/303en11.pdf

 

If the realtors, as you state should be aware "green" clauses..... then it stands to reason that realtors should also know about the "warrants" that were applied to agricultural lands by the Sovereign.

or are you being selective in suggesting what realtors should be aware of?

Colette McLean said:

 

"When the Sovereign appropriated those rights......that means if the Public wishes to encroach on those rights.... they must expropriate the rights or the farmer gives up those rights voluntarily"

And exactly what do you think has happened Joann with the GEA.  Farmers have given up their rights and entrenched in the contracts they have signed with these wind developers are things like first rights of refusal, postponement of mortages, full easements on not only property, but soil, aggregates, water etc.   Now that time has passed, the consequences of these green projects on ones property are showing up.  Have a look at the Ontario Real Estate Association recent info. on addressing properties with "green" energy projects installed.  

 I do agree with you that there is a  much bigger issue on "sovereign" land rights that is being ignored.

The new Green Energy clauses are:

  • GREEN-1: Condition – MicroFIT Contract
  • GREEN-2: Acknowledgement – MicroFIT Contract
  • GREEN-3: Decommissioning Renewable Energy Facility
  • GREEN-4: Renewable Energy Projects
  • GREEN-5: Wind Turbines – Warranty

The first two clauses deals with the microFIT stream of the provincial government’s Feed-In Tariff program for renewable energy generation, launched in September 2009. The program is operated by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).

Realtors are only becoming aware of the implications green energy projects are having on the sales of land.  The  info. I provided is recent.  I am not suggesting that realtors should be selective, only truthful and knowledgeable of the ramifications "green" projects are having ag. lands.    I apologize but I do not understand your line of questioning nor do I understand why "warrants" or "sovereignty"  is of such importance to the energy issue when what needs to be considered, in deciding to go forward with alternative energies like wind, is whether it is  a technically, economically and enironmentally sound solution to our energy problems.  After 5 yrs of examining this,  it is NOT and it appears that OFA concurs by asking the provincial gov't that it  examine  wind development and that further construction be halted until outstanding issues such as land succession,   and the inefficiencies of wind, are addressed. 

 


Joann said:

If the realtors, as you state should be aware "green" clauses..... then it stands to reason that realtors should also know about the "warrants" that were applied to agricultural lands by the Sovereign.

or are you being selective in suggesting what realtors should be aware of?

Colette McLean said:

 

"When the Sovereign appropriated those rights......that means if the Public wishes to encroach on those rights.... they must expropriate the rights or the farmer gives up those rights voluntarily"

And exactly what do you think has happened Joann with the GEA.  Farmers have given up their rights and entrenched in the contracts they have signed with these wind developers are things like first rights of refusal, postponement of mortages, full easements on not only property, but soil, aggregates, water etc.   Now that time has passed, the consequences of these green projects on ones property are showing up.  Have a look at the Ontario Real Estate Association recent info. on addressing properties with "green" energy projects installed.  

 I do agree with you that there is a  much bigger issue on "sovereign" land rights that is being ignored.

The new Green Energy clauses are:

  • GREEN-1: Condition – MicroFIT Contract
  • GREEN-2: Acknowledgement – MicroFIT Contract
  • GREEN-3: Decommissioning Renewable Energy Facility
  • GREEN-4: Renewable Energy Projects
  • GREEN-5: Wind Turbines – Warranty

The first two clauses deals with the microFIT stream of the provincial government’s Feed-In Tariff program for renewable energy generation, launched in September 2009. The program is operated by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).

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Cannabis stocks surge after reports of Trump planning to ease federal restrictions

Shares in Canada’s cannabis companies surged after reports U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to ease federal restrictions on the drug. The Washington Post first reported that the president is expected to direct agencies to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. The move would make it similar to some common prescription painkillers, the newspaper says. A reclassification of the drug in the U.S. could offer an opportunity for Canadian cannabis companies to expand their businesses stateside. Shares of Tilray Brands Inc. jumped 29 per cent or $3.35 to $14.94 in mid-morning trading Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, while Canopy Growth Corp. shares were up 32 per cent or 49 cents at $2.07. Aurora Cannabis Inc. shares were up 13 per cent and Organigram Global Inc. was up nearly 10 per cent.  While many states have passed laws legalizing cannabis for adult use in the U.S., federally it remains a Schedule I drug, the same category as heroin and LSD. This report by The Cana

USDA Raises World Rapeseed Production to New High

Thanks mainly to a record large Canadian crop, 2025-26 global rapeseed output is estimated by the USDA at a new peak as well. The USDA this week pegged world rapeseed production for the current marketing year at 95.27 million tonnes. That’s up 3 million tonnes or 3.25% from last month’s projection and now sits almost 9.3 million or 10.8% above the 2024-25 global crop of 86 million. The rebound comes after the 2024-25 crop was hit by poor weather in major producing countries. The USDA has raised its 2025-26 Canadian rapeseed (canola) production estimate to 22 million tonnes, up 2 million from its November forecast, following updated Statistics Canada data released last week. The survey-based StatsCan report pegged national canola output at 21.803 million tonnes, up about 1.7 million from the federal agency’s model-based September projection and now 13.3% above the 2024 crop of 19.239 million. If accurate, it would be the largest crop on record, surpassing the 2017 crop of 21.458 m

New CDC Oat and Barley Varieties Gain Momentum With Prairie Growers

For more than two decades, Aaron Beattie has been a driving force behind some of Western Canada’s most prominent oat and barley varieties. Based at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC), Beattie continues to shape the future of Prairie cereals — work that increasingly impacts growers in Alberta. Beattie’s latest oat material, showcased earlier this year at the meetings of the Prairie Grain Development Committee in Winnipeg, continues to deliver standout performance. “OT3125 did perform really well again this summer. So it is still up there — over 10% higher than Camden,” he says. While the variety does not yet have a commercial name, Beattie expects significant discussion around it next year as it moves further into promotion and industry awareness. Momentum in the Market Beyond pipeline material, several CDC varieties are gaining traction with Prairie growers. “CDC Anson really took a big jump this year, from no acres to about 10% of the oat acres all in

Why Midge Tolerant Wheat is Sold as a Blend — and Why it Matters for Spring 2026

Unexpected wheat midge outbreaks across Western Canada highlight why the varietal blend remains essential. As farmers look ahead to spring, it’s a good time to revisit the cornerstone of protecting the Sm1 (midge tolerant) wheat gene: understanding why Midge Tolerant Wheat is sold as a varietal blend. In these blends, a variety of Midge Tolerant Wheat is mixed in with a small amount (10%) of wheat that isn’t tolerant to the wheat midge. That is, it doesn’t contain the gene Sm1, the source of genetic resistance. These non-tolerant wheat plants serve as a “refuge” to ensure the wheat midge doesn’t develop resistance to the Sm1 gene. “You never know when the wheat midge is going to strike or where it’s going to strike,” says Tyler Wist, an entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). “Sometimes it’s predicted to be a low-risk year, and then the rains come at just the right time and — boom — population explosion.” Wheat Midge Can Appear When Least Expected Forecasting too

This is Agriculture: Training Coordinator

There are an abundance of different careers in agriculture, and Angela Pearen has tried several of them. Now the coordinator of the agriculture extension programs at Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment, Assiniboine College, Angela has also worked helping producers diversify their farm income, and held positions in rural leadership, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning with Manitoba Agriculture. She says her role at Assiniboine College brings her back to the work she loves the most. Describe your job or product in one sentence. I coordinate training programs for people working in the ag industry and those that support the ag industry. Where did you grow up? Was it an agriculture or urban environment? I grew up in the Roseland district, southwest of Brandon on an acreage. We crop shared with our land neighbours and my parents still crop share with the next generations of that family – it’s been over 50 years. What was your dream job when you were a kid? The

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