A local chapter of United Steelworkers – Hamilton Area Steelworkers – is calling for the Ontario government to remove the roadblocks to offshore wind development in the province.
At issue is the provincial government's decision last spring to ban offshore wind projects. The rationale was to permit more research to be done on the environmental impact of offshore wind projects. However, as of yet, no research has been done, Hamilton Area Steelworkers claims.
The Lake Ontario Offshore Network has come together to ask for a pilot project that will provide that research.
"The news that Hamilton has the chance to be the leader in offshore windmill construction and support has to be supported." says Hamilton Area supervisor Tony DePaulo. "Not only does this mean 1,900 good jobs to start the project, but it places us to become the leader in this field for the long term."
The Lake Ontario Offshore Network is a consortium of 16 companies and organizations working together to build approximately 100 wind turbines off Wolfe Island near Kingston.
