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Mar.6,2005 -Mar.13,2005 |
Calpine energy proposal sparks debate
Mayor Di Biase speaks to group of concerned citizens in Vaughan
By Francesco Riondino
Originally Published: 2005-02-27
Assessing the results achieved in 2004 and looking forward to the programs for 2005 were the reasons behind a public meeting organized by Vaughan Mayor Michael Di Biase in Ward 2. Similar meetings will be held in every ward. Last Thursday, over 300 people responded by attending the meeting at Le Jardin Banquet Hall. For most of them, however, the main focus was Calpine Energy Services' application to the province's ministry of energy for permission to operate a gas-fired power station on land just west of Hwy. 27, south of Langstaff Road.
The West Woodbridge Taxpayers' Association has mobilized to try to stop this plan, and it came out in full force to meet the mayor. The association is led by Nick Pinto, who's quite well known in local politics for his repeated, unsuccessful bids to become elected as city councillor for Ward 2.
The mayor's presentation lasted about 40 minutes, which he used to talk about what has been done, and is being done, from the enlargement of the main arteries (a long stretch of Langstaff Road will be doubled, with sidewalks and public lighting added) to new services (fire fighting, community centres, etc.).
A discussion was scheduled to follow, but in order to avoid surprises, Di Biase preempted questions about the power station by explaining the present situation.
The Ontario Minister of Energy had announced that the provincial government intends to shut down all remaining coal-fired power generation plants within 2007; for this reason, late last year, interested companies have been invited to submit proposals for the construction of alternative stations. One of these companies is Calpine. The City had been approached by the company management, but the site they mentioned was different from that which they put in their official application to the ministry, explained Di Biase.
At present, however, the only official document is the application; meanwhile, Calpine has begun taking the steps required according to the provincial rules on environmental assessments, and on January 20 they met with area residents for a preliminary information evening.
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