THUNDER BAY — New Democrat MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell is accusing the Ford government of "forsaking the energy needs" of future mining development and the Ring of Fire.
The member for Thunder Bay-Atikokan reacted Monday to Friday's announcement by Ontario Power Generating and the Independent Electricity System Operator that the station will be decommissioned.
OPG and IESO said the power plant is no longer necessary, and in any case requires $5 million in repairs.
The closure will affect about 50 of the 70 jobs connected to the station, but the two organizations said the individuals in these positions will be redeployed elsewhere.
Monteith-Farrell said new mines in the Ring of Fire and elsewhere in the region "will need additional power from our generating station to move forward without delays."
She charged that Premier Ford "isn't thinking about growth in northwestern Ontario. He's putting family-supporting energy jobs in jeopardy, along with northwestern Ontario's energy security."
The NDP member also said the premier "could have families, businesses, hospitals and schools facing blackouts by getting rid of our back-up generator...in case of droughts and hydro shortages," adding "his plan is, apparently, to have us need fewer jobs and less energy."
OPG and IESO have said that even if repairs were made, the Mission Island generating station would only be required to run for a few days a year.
The president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, Mayor Wendy Landry of Shuniah, said Friday that NOMA was disappointed that the closure decision was made before the group received a requested meeting with energy minister Greg Rickford.
