Health Canada Changes Scope of Turbine Impact Study

Tuesday, 12 February 2013 10:08

Health Canada has changed the scope of their study on the health impacts of living near wind turbines. Oxford's MP helped make the announcement today. Dave MacKenzie tells Heart FM the study will now encompass 2000 households living in 8-12 turbine areas across the country. MacKenzie says Health Canada is broadening the scope after an overwhelming response from those concerned about the issue. "Over 950 responses, something like 1800 pages of material. I think they realized there were some things they needed to re-look at. It's going to put off the results a little bit, but it will be a far greater in-depth study of the whole issue." It won't be until the end of 2014 until the study results are made public. MacKenzie says, "The Health Canada study will come up with some significant findings if they're there, and if they're not there it will be as significant. But it will be a good scientific study as opposed to word of mouth." A press release issued this morning further outlines the study: "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." There are 24 experts assigned to the study, along with 5 "International Advisors". The revised research design, and other information is available on the Health Canada website. That isn't soon enough for some people in Norwich who are concerned about at 10 turbine project that will begin construction on Gunn's Hill Road later this year. It will be complete around the same time Health Canada's study is released. In a statement released this afternoon, the East Oxford Community Alliance, which is battling against the Gunn's Hill development stated, "If Mr. MacKenzie and the federal government wish to ?put the health and safety of Canadians first? when it comes to wind turbines, an immediate moratorium on further construction must be imposed, relief and restitution for those suffering must occur, and a scientific study free of policy influence must be commissioned."