Thursday, March 28, 2024

MODG supports solar project, amends waste collection schedule

  • April 27 2022
  • By Lois Ann Dort, Local Journalism Initiative reporter    

GUYSBOROUGH – Solar energy was the topic of discussion at the Municipality of the District of Guysborough’s (MODG’s) regular monthly council meeting on April 20. Council heard a 40-minute presentation from proponents of the Harbour Solar Inc. project, which, if it is approved by the province’s request for proposals for rate-based procurement, would be located near Country Harbour.

Presenters Joel MacNeil, Trimac Engineering, and Richard Lü, CEO Abundant Solar Energy Inc., made the case for the location near existing transmission lines — a green-energy future, and possible uses for the land in tandem with the solar panels such as growth of low-bush blueberries — and took questions from council.

MODG Warden Vernon Pitts noted that he would like to see more jobs after the construction phase of the project. And Lü agreed that most jobs created by the project were on the front end but those that would sustain the project over its 25-plus-year lifespan, would be higher paying, technology-based jobs.

The presenters asked MODG to send a letter of support for the project to the province. A motion was made to that effect directly after the presentation concluded and passed unanimously.

Council also passed the second reading of an amendment to the collection of solid waste and recyclables by-law at the meeting. Under the amendment, all waste streams will be collected on a weekly basis. Blue bags for recycling and clear bags for solid waste were collected on an alternate weekly basis.

The change will also apply to the waste collection provided by the MODG in the Town of Mulgrave.

More information about the Harbour Solar project is available at https://www.trimaceng.ca/solar.