A letter sent December 4 by Environment, Conservation and Parks Minister Jeff Yurek revelaed that the Nation Rise Wind Farm, a 29-turbine project in the Township of North Stormont, is being cancelled over concerns of a local bat population.

Construction on the wind farm near Ottawa has been brought to a halting stop due to decision, despite 16 of the 29 turbines already being in a state of construction. 

EDP Renewables Canada (EDPR) has been forced to halt all construction activities for its 100 MW Nation Rise Wind Farm in Ontario after its Renewable Energy Approval was revoked@EdpRenewables #Renewables #Canada @JeffYurekMPP #windenergy https://t.co/tQNoQEpR8a

— Saurenergy (@Saur_energy) December 11, 2019

The 29 turbine project in the Township of North Stormont that was meant to provide 100 megawatts of zero-emissions electricity to the Ontario grid. 

Thank you @JeffYurekMPP for cancelling the Nation Rise Wind Farm project!

— Angry kitchen mom (@AngryKitchenMom) December 10, 2019

Yurek said the project is likely to cause "serious and irreversible harm" to populations of little brown, big brown and hoary bats due to the risk of the bats being hit by turbine blades. 

EDP Renewables, the company building the Nation Rise farm, said in a December 9 press release that it is it is prepared to pursue all legal courses of action in response to Yurek's decision.

Nation Rise Wind Farm Assessing Legal Action Following the Government of Ontario’s Unprecedented Decision to Revoke its Renewable Energy Approvalhttps://t.co/JFh9ZtjvGk

— Tree.St (@_TreeSt) December 10, 2019

The wind farm caused a lot of uproar in the Township of North Stormont and surrounding areas, and the decisions by Yurek has been welcomed by many in the area.

A Facebook group called Stop Wind Turbines In North Stormont has almost 500 members who rallied to stop the development of the wind farm citing a separate set of concerns, including noise, visual disruption, possible impacts on health, and a lack of public consultation. 

The Ford government has been critical of  industrial wind farms, but Nation Rise Wind Farm was the last one approved by the departing Liberal government in May 2018.

In July 2018, only weeks after taking office, the Ford government dropped the Green Energy Act and cancelled 758 early-stage renewable-energy projects.