SOUTH STORMONT, Ontario – The Township of South Stormont will benefit from a total of $400,000, or $20,000 every year over the next 20 years from The Barlow Solar Energy Centre.
Located on County Rd. 33, just north of Power Dam Dr. and the Cornwall Landfill, the 10 mw solar installation occupies a parcel of land spanning 94 acres. In 2015, the project developers EDF-EN Canada entered into a Community Fund Benefit Agreement with the Township that would commence upon commercial operation of the project.
South Stormont received the first payment from the agreement in Nov. of 2019 for $19,506.85. Funds have yet to be distributed according to Mayor Bryan McGillis.
“They have an explicit criteria, to do something that benefits the community recreation (with the funds),” explained McGillis.
A council document was presented during the Township’s Feb. 12 meeting explaining that funds can be used for community infrastructure and programs such as land stewardship, recreation, protective services, education, job training, roads, and other activities as approved by Council. This includes…
- Expenditures relating to energy sustainability (i.e. municipal renewable energy systems; vehicle fleet upgrades; building energy-efficiency upgrades; conservation programs)
- Land stewardship initiatives (i.e. habitat creation/improvement; tree planting)
- Expenditures relating to development and construction of Municipal recreational facilities (i.e. arenas, parks, trails)
- Expenditures for improvement of community and protective services (i.e. police, fire, EMS, healthcare)
- Expenditures related to education and job training
- Expenditures for improvements to roads and municipal infrastructure
- Other community-related activities as directed by the community
McGillis said that the Waterfront Committee is going to decide how to move forward with allocating the funds.
“(The Waterfront Committee) had a meeting with the St. Lawrence Parks Commission. We have a lot of ideas we want to move forward on with our Master Plan,” said McGillis.
