Haldimand County, a conglomerate of five communities located on the shoreline of Lake Erie, has transitioned from being an agricultural center to establishing itself as a clean energy hub with a steadily growing green economy. The five communities that make up Haldimand County – Jarvis, Hagersville, Caledonia, Cayuga, and Dunnville – remain rural but have added new sustainable activities to their economic portfolio in order to take advantage of the Green Energy Act.
The County, which covers over 1,200 square miles, is ideally situated for green projects such as solar and wind energy production. Don Boyle, Chief Administrative Officer for the County, explains that, “The companies wanting to take advantage of the Green Energy Act, the financial incentives of it, were born here simply because we have a great geographical location.”
Haldimand County Green Economy Benefits from Foreign Investments
Haldimand County is really experiencing the green economy boom unfolding across Ontario, perhaps even more so than certain other areas of the province. The County continues to attract international investment - Samsung C&T Corporation’s multi-billion dollar investment in Ontario includes some windmills and solar panels in Haldimand. Many other companies have set their sight on the lakeside communities. Boyle confirms that there have been proposals for no fewer than “200 windmills within the community as well as 1000 acres of solar panels.”
Obviously, these projects will bring interesting employment opportunities to the local population. Those with proper training will have a competitive advantage when applying for these new green jobs.
Not All Solar Classes Are Created Equal
The number of solar classes offered in Ontario has increased substantially in response to growing demand for a workforce equipped with appropriate solar training. The number of options may be overwhelming for an individual wishing to reap the benefits of the province’s booming green economy. Fortunately, there exist a range of schools offering solar training. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), based in New York State, has developed the Institute for Sustainable Power Quality Assessment Framework (ISPQ Standard). Thus far, Ontario Solar Academy is the only solar training school in all of Canada to have received this accreditation.
