[jeff316]

My fav is the facebook page tag line - "we should not burn fossil fuels upwind of Canada's largest population centre!"

Why not, when the largest population centre depends on burning fossil fuels to survive? Each and every one does, from the little to the big. Ummm we do that every single day, everywhere. Come on, people.

 

[ShonTron]

Gas power plants opened in Brampton (Goreway/Queen area), Halton Hills (401/Trafalgar), the Portlands "Energy Centre" and across Ontario. The aim seems to be bringing generation closer to the demand, this makes a lot of sense. That said, I do understand the NIMBY backlash. It worked in Oakville, why not here?

Interestingly, the number of smog days in Toronto have been minimal this year, despite it being a hot and humid summer. Something (perhaps the replacement of coal with gas?) is working.

 

[EMP1729]

nfitz

Originally Posted by Coruscanti Cognoscente
Mississauga did it's fair share of power generation with Lakeview.

So why should it get a free ride now? If we can put gas stations near downtown Toronto, we can put one in the burbs. I'm sure all the whiny Nimbys will object to this, but the generation of fumes for this is nothing, compared to the automobiles that those in the suburbs seem to use in such great numbers. I bet it's not even equivalent to 50,000 vehicles in a city with millions of people.

Mississauga already has 2 other natural gas power plants, both near the airport if I am not mistaken.

Speaking of the airport, that is located in Mississauga as well. Airports aren't exactly great for air quality.

So really, enough with the "Mississauga is getting a free ride" rhetoric, that isn't the case.

I do agree that NIMBYism is way out of hand. If you buy a home near an industrial area, shouldn't you expect air pollution? Like, come on, common sense, people.

 

[Jarrek]

Gas power plants opened in Brampton (Goreway/Queen area), Halton Hills (401/Trafalgar), the Portlands "Energy Centre" and across Ontario. The aim seems to be bringing generation closer to the demand, this makes a lot of sense. That said, I do understand the NIMBY backlash. It worked in Oakville, why not here?

Brampton has a 1.5km+ buffer zone around it. Halton Hills is in the middle of a rural area. Portlands has a 1km buffer zone, and its near the lake.

My fav is the facebook page tag line - "we should not burn fossil fuels upwind of Canada's largest population centre!"

Why not, when the largest population centre depends on burning fossil fuels to survive? Each and every one does, from the little to the big. Ummm we do that every single day, everywhere. Come on, people.

What exactly are you referring to here? Are you implying that we all drive cars and burn fossil fuels (not everyone does), or that we utilize fossil fuels for power generation (which is also mostly untrue).

 

[Jarrek]

I do agree that NIMBYism is way out of hand. If you buy a home near an industrial area, shouldn't you expect air pollution? Like, come on, common sense, people.

There is nothing wrong with NIMBYism. If it wasn't for NIMBYist's, we would have had the Spadina Expressway cut the city in half. There is nothing wrong in wanting a clean, safe place to live, and to try to raise your family in an urban setting.

 

[jeff316]

Brampton has a 1.5km+ buffer zone around it. Halton Hills is in the middle of a rural area. Portlands has a 1km buffer zone, and its near the lake.



What exactly are you referring to here? Are you implying that we all drive cars and burn fossil fuels (not everyone does), or that we utilize fossil fuels for power generation (which is also mostly untrue).

Um, our whole economy is based on the burning of fossil fuels. We burn fossil fuels for power generation all across this province and country, and we use fossil fuels to transport ourselves and our goods. Without fossil fuels you would have no standard of living, and would not be living where you are now in the first place.

There is something definitely wrong with NIMBYism when it is rooted solely in self-interest. Your NIMBY is no different than the rural 'no-wind' NIMBYs that are holding up green energy progress across the province. Who is going to generate your power if everyone pulls a NIMBY?

In this day and age, you can't have a clean, safe place to live without energy. And you can't just fob off something undesirable just because it doesn't work for you. That's wrong.

Pssst - people live in rural areas too!

 

[EMP1729]

There is nothing wrong with NIMBYism. If it wasn't for NIMBYist's, we would have had the Spadina Expressway cut the city in half. There is nothing wrong in wanting a clean, safe place to live, and to try to raise your family in an urban setting.

I didn't say that NIMBYism is wrong all the time, only that it is out of control. It is one thing to build a power plant in the middle of High Park, and another thing to build one in an industrial area. In this case, the motivation seems to be purely for selfish reasons.

 

[TOareaFan]

There is nothing wrong with NIMBYism. If it wasn't for NIMBYist's, we would have had the Spadina Expressway cut the city in half. There is nothing wrong in wanting a clean, safe place to live, and to try to raise your family in an urban setting.

If you are opposed to something like gas fired production of electricity be opposed to it....don't just be opposed to it because it is too close to your house. That is NIMBY and that is bad. A fuller, extended short form (new term!) is TIOKBNIMBY (that is ok but.....) when you say it that way it starts to be clearer why NIMBY is bad. The people opposing Spadina weren't saying "I see why we need a freeway but build it a few miles over there so that I am not bothered by it" they were saying "no more inner city freeways"....until the people in 'sauga/Etobicoke and Oakville before them campaign against gas fired production of electricity anywhere, they get no sympathy from me......both, Oakville's and this generation facility were in well established, well defined industrial settings....the fact that people built/bought/owned homes so close to those industrial areas is the issue not that industry wants to be there....what's next, people in the west end complaining about noise and smell from slaughter houses? people in malton/meadowvale/Brampton saying the airport is too noisy? We all make, to some level, choices about where we live...don't make the choice to live near industry and then expect sympathy/support when the type of industry does not suit your lifestyle goals.

 

[Anth]

the fact that people built/bought/owned homes so close to those industrial areas is the issue not that industry wants to be there

Really? Are you familiar at all with the area around this plant? It isn't some middle-of-nowhere outer-GTA subdivision built five years ago. Other than Lakeview, I wouldn't say the area is as "industrial" as you think it is.

I'm surprised by all the support here since it seems like such a terrible location to me. However they are definitely throwing it up as fast as they can...

 

[TOareaFan]

Really? Are you familiar at all with the area around this plant? It isn't some middle-of-nowhere outer-GTA subdivision built five years ago. Other than Lakeview, I wouldn't say the area is as "industrial" as you think it is.

I'm surprised by all the support here since it seems like such a terrible location to me. However they are definitely throwing it up as fast as they can...

It is on the eastside of Loreland right? Accross from the industrial properties on the west side of Loreland? South of the industrial properties on Mattawa? Near the tracks that are north of the Queensway? Bounded to the east by the creek and the West Mall?

Closest residential is on Coram? Which is separated from the site by a bit of distance (is it a km? more? less?) and two rows of industrial property.

I get what you are saying...those homes weren't built yesterday, but neither was the existing industrial uses that they border.

 

[doady]

I think a power plant at this location is bad idea simply because of plans for LRT for the Dundas East corridor. A power plant doesn't seem congruent with plans an LRT and potential high density redevelopment of the corridor. And then there's the ongoing development around Sherway Gardens as well.

 

[Anth]

I get what you are saying...those homes weren't built yesterday, but neither was the existing industrial uses that they border.

True, but those industrial uses (from what I can tell, perhaps I'm wrong) seem to be limited to warehouses, distribution centres, workshops, and maybe some small factories. A pollution emitting gas power plant is a totally different animal.

 

[TOareaFan]

True, but those industrial uses (from what I can tell, perhaps I'm wrong) seem to be limited to warehouses, distribution centres, workshops, and maybe some small factories. A pollution emitting gas power plant is a totally different animal.

Sure, but, the land is industrial....we don't have a lot of that land in/near the city....just shows you the importance of considering zoning as opposed to current use when considering where to live.

 

[doady]

Sure, but, the land is industrial....we don't have a lot of that land in/near the city....just shows you the importance of considering zoning as opposed to current use when considering where to live.

It's purely economics. Industry requires cheap land. Land on the outskirts is cheaper. Zoning won't change that.

 

[TOareaFan]

It's purely economics. Industry requires cheap land. Land on the outskirts is cheaper. Zoning won't change that.

No but when people buy a house that borders an industrial zoned piece of property they should look at the potential uses of the land not just the light warehousing current use.