Health Canada Announces Wind Turbine Noise and Health Study
Bonnechere Valley, Ontario – Cheryl Gallant, MP, in welcoming the health study announcement into the effects of industrial wind turbines, is pleased to congratulate S.O.S., a grassroots Renfrew County group of concerned citizens who first brought their health concerns to Cheryl’s attention. Acting on those concerns, including the arranging of a meeting with Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and S.O.S spokesperson Carmen Krogh, precipitated the federal decision.
“This is a victory for the average citizen,” stated MP Cheryl Gallant. “It was my old friend Barney McCaffrey in one of his last newspaper articles, who said ‘follow the money’ when it came to the policy of the Liberal party in Toronto to force through approvals to build the heavily tax-payer subsidized industrial wind turbines over the health concerns of local residents and the objections of municipalities.”
“For years, individuals have been stepping forward with their health worries. As the first federal MP to acknowledge their unease, I am very pleased our government has chosen to listen to the concerns of average citizens over the objections of big foreign multinationals and their friends who were awarded the contract to build these wind turbines by Toronto,” said MP Gallant.
Health Canada, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, will conduct the research study that will explore the relationship between wind turbine noise and health effects reported by, and objectively measured in, people living near wind power developments.
“This study is in response to questions from residents living near wind farms about possible health effects of low frequency noise generated by wind turbines,” said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health. “As always, our Government is putting the health and safety of Canadians first and this study will do just that by painting a more complete picture of the potential health impacts of wind turbine noise.”
Health Canada was made aware of health-related complaints from groups like S.O.S. and individuals living in close proximity to wind turbine establishments. The study is being designed with support from external experts, specializing in areas including noise, health assessment, clinical medicine and epidemiology.
The proposed research design and methodology was posted on Health Canada’s web site today for a 30-day public comment period. Feedback obtained will be reviewed by the design committee, compiled and published to the website, along with the design committee’s responses.
The study will be focused on an initially targeted sample size of 2,000 dwellings selected from 8-12 wind turbine installation facilities in Canada. In addition to taking physical measurements from participants, such as blood pressure, investigators will conduct face-to-face interviews and take noise measurements inside and outside of some homes to validate sound modelling. Health Canada has expertise in measuring noise and assessing the health impacts of noise because of its role in administering the Radiation Emitting Devices Act (REDA). As defined under REDA, noise is a form of radiation.
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Cheryl accepting a petition from members of the Renfrew County SOS group.