Quebec-based firm and Sitansisk (St. Mary’s First Nations) partnership considering project in Kenneth and Johnville area
Strong winds are blowing in Northern Carleton County of New Brunswick, and industry wants to turn them into energy.
Representatives of the partners behind the region’s second proposed wind project hosted an open house at the Amsterdam Inn in Florenceville-Bristol on Wednesday, Nov. 13, to introduce their plans to the public.
Patrick Brooks, economic development officer for Sitansisk (St. Mary’s First Nation) near Fredericton, joined Quebec-based energy development firm Eolectric’s director of planning and development Simon Parent-Pothier and senior project development officer Victor Liang Chung Pezo to introduce their plans to more than 60 residents in attendance.
Brooks explained that Sitansisk owns 51 per cent of the wind farm project proposed for a remote area surrounding Kenneth, north of Centre Glassville and east of South Johnville.
The project proposes erecting between eight and 12 windmill units throughout the rolling wooded area. The representatives said 85 per cent of the project will be on Crown land, with a small portion on private land.
Brooks said the windmill proposal is his community’s first attempt at a significant economic development project beyond its borders.
“This is the first time at a project that exists outside the confines of our reservation,” he said. “For me that’s very significant.”
The three men stressed that the Florenceville-Bristol open house represents only the first steps of its long-range plan to erect the windmills by 2027 at the earliest.
“We’re doing this public consultation way in advance so as to be able to gather information, concerns and questions,” said Parent-Pothier.
He explained that information boards lining the perimeter of the large conference room provided details about the project while he, Pezo, and Brooks answered questions from those in attendance. Parent-Pothier said they also asked attendees to fill out surveys to provide further information.
The Sitansisk-Eolectric project is the second proposed wind farm for the Carleton-North district. Earlier this year, J.D. Irving, Limited unveiled a much larger project, announcing plans to erect 58 windmills as part of the Brighton Mountain Wind Farm south of Juniper.
J.D. Irving, Limited’s open house in Juniper in August met significant resistance from area residents. Some of the Brighton Mountain project opponents attended the Sitansisk-Eolectric event, including Jean Arnold, a northern Carleton County resident and environmental activist.
Arnold opposed what she described as “a massive industrial-style project” destined for primary, highly productive forest land. She told the River Valley Sun she is still gathering information about the smaller Sitansisk-Eolectric wind farm. Still, she opposes any project that puts old-growth forests, wetlands, watersheds, and wildlife at risk.
Arnold, who was selling 2025 calendars that served as a fact sheet against the Brighton Mountain Project at the Sitansisk-Eolectric open house, said all windmill projects must address storage issues and who benefits from the energy creation.
Arnold welcomed the Sitansisk-Eolectric presentation early in the process but noted her lack of trust in the provincial government’s energy-impact assessment (EIA) process for any energy project.
Parent-Pothier understands residents’ concerns, noting that his company closely adheres to or surpasses all environmental regulations, including the size of buffer zones from waterways, wetlands, and marshes. He said the company has undertaken extensive environmental studies to avoid wildlife migration routes and meets all farmland regulations.
Parent-Pothier said his company, which began exploring wind energy more than two decades ago, currently operates wind farms primarily in Quebec, with some in Alberta. He said his firm first identified the potential of the northern Carleton site in 2007.
Parent-Pothier considers wind energy as the most viable and affordable renewable energy option.
“We believe it is the cheapest source of electricity in the province right now,” he said. “Cheaper than natural gas, cheaper than nuclear, cheaper than coal. And a lot more green.”
With few suitable hydroelectricity options left, Parent-Pothier said wind is the only option for much of Canada.
“It is the number one alternative right now in Quebec, in the Atlantic, even Alberta with the mix of solar, there,” he said. “Hydro has no acceptable options left.”
Brooks said Sitansisk’s interest in exploring the wind farm option followed his community’s participation in a series of Indigenous energy symposiums involving First Nations, industry players and developers, utilities and the governments.
Brooks said they saw energy development as an economic opportunity to support their community of 2,500 residents. He said that viable in-community economic options are scarce, noting the community recently closed its only grocery store because it can’t compete with the big-box retailers.
Brooks stressed the ongoing efforts at reconciliation must include economic opportunities for Indigenous people.
He described reconciliation as “learning how to work together.”
Brooks stressed the wind farm project is in its initial steps, with many steps ahead before it becomes a reality.
He added his community shares the environmental concerns expressed by residents in the northern Carleton communities.
If successful, Brooks believes the project’s economic benefits will be shared by several parties, including the District of Carleton North, First Nation partners, industry partners, and the province.
