Media Centre

home > media centre

Guiding Principles

Wind generated electricity is, alongside hydroelectricity, a strategic resource for Québec. The members of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) see communities as partners in developing this resource and we believe that wind projects must be carried out in close collaboration with host communities. Accordingly, CanWEA members have established the following Guiding Principles to which we will adhere in the development of wind projects:

Community engagement
Seek community input in a reasonable timeframe and take this input into account in the development of wind projects, in advance of hearings before the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE).

Participate in all possible forums and actively engage in processes to ensure that communities receive fair and equitable compensation for wind projects in their area.

Transparency
Inform communities of our projects as early as possible and within a timeframe judged reasonable by all project stakeholders, in the interests of ensuring that the project development process is straightforward, open and transparent.

Respect for laws and regulations
Install turbines only in municipalities and regional municipal districts (MRC) that have enacted relevant frameworks to guide wind project development.

Ensure that project development is carried out in full compliance with applicable regulations, notably with respect to turbine placement and impacts on flora, fauna, landscape and sites of cultural heritage.

Ensure that our projects are respectful of neighbours and compliant with provincial regulations on acceptable sound levels.