The Media Room
Natural Resources Canada
2010/72
September 14, 2010
Government of Canada Invests in
Wind Energy in Quebec
MONTREAL — Wind energy in Quebec got a big boost today thanks to a substantial investment by the Government of Canada. The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Natural Resources, announced an investment of up to $65 million over 10 years for two wind farms in the Gaspé region. This investment, through the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program, will help to support the Carleton and L’Anse-à-Valleau wind farms, which are owned by Cartier Wind Energy Inc.
“The Government of Canada’s support for the Carleton and L’Anse-à-Valleau wind farms is another example of our action to increase the supply of clean, renewable energy to Canadians,” said Minister Paradis. “This project is an innovative example of a clean energy technology that is helping to create high-quality jobs and a sustainable energy source for Quebec’s future.”
The L’Anse-à-Valleau wind farm consists of 67 turbines, capable of generating up to 100 megawatts of emissions-free electricity. The Carleton wind farm consists of 73 turbines and is capable of producing 109.5 megawatts of electricity. Together, this is enough electricity to power as many as 60,000 homes. With a total of six wind power projects online or in development, Cartier Wind Energy is poised to be the largest producer of wind energy in the province of Quebec.
“In recent years, Cartier Wind Energy has developed and built wind farm projects that produce a total of 319.5 megawatts of electricity,” said Michel Letellier, President of the Cartier Wind Energy Board of Directors. “We are operating the Baie-des-Sables, L’Anse-à-Valleau and Carleton wind farms in the Gaspé region. Our projects have helped to create jobs in these regions and to develop expertise in Quebec in the renewable energy sector. Our projects have benefited from the ecoENERGY program. Therefore, we are inviting the federal government to renew the program, helping renewable energy in Canada to grow.”
The $1.5-billion ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program provides a one cent per kilowatt-hour incentive, with the goal of increasing Canada’s renewable electricity capacity by more than 4,000 megawatts — enough to power a million homes. Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on this investment with an additional $2.4 billion to support the development and deployment of cleaner energy technologies and supporting infrastructure, including the Clean Energy Fund and the Green Infrastructure Fund.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
Quebec is benefiting from renewable energy thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada. Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis today announced that the Carleton and L’Anse-à-Valleau wind farms will receive up to $65 million over 10 years through the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program.
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