(Niagara At Large is posting the following release from Health Canada for our readers’ information. The study is a response to ongoing concerns expressed by residents living near industrial-size wind turbines about the potential negative impacts of these facilities on their quality of life and health.)
July 10, 2012
For immediate release
OTTAWA – Health Canada, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, will conduct a research study that will explore the relationship between wind turbine noise and health effects reported by, and objectively measured in, people living near wind power developments.
“This study is in response to questions from residents living near wind farms about possible health effects of low frequency noise generated by wind turbines,” said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health. “As always, our Government is putting the health and safety of Canadians first and this study will do just that by painting a more complete picture of the potential health impacts of wind turbine noise.”
Health Canada is aware of health-related complaints from individuals living in close proximity to wind turbine establishments. The study is being designed with support from external experts, specializing in areas including noise, health assessment, clinical medicine and epidemiology.
The proposed research design and methodology was posted on Health Canada’s web site today for a 30-day public comment period. Feedback obtained will be reviewed by the design committee, compiled and published to the website, along with the design committee’s responses.
The study will be focused on an initially targeted sample size of 2,000 dwellings selected from 8-12 wind turbine installation facilities in Canada. In addition to taking physical measurements from participants, such as blood pressure, investigators will conduct face-to-face interviews and take noise measurements inside and outside of some homes to validate sound modelling.
Health Canada has expertise in measuring noise and assessing the health impacts of noise because of its role in administering the Radiation Emitting Devices Act (REDA). As defined under REDA, noise is a form of radiation.
The study results are expected to be published in 2014.
(Niagara At Large invites our readers to share their views on the contents of this post, remembering that NAL only posts comments by individuals who also share their first and last names.)
Niagara At Large 
I’d far rather have a wind turbine farm nearby than a nuclear plant as per Darlington , Pickering on Lake Ontario and the Bruce on Lake Huron . Pickering and Darlington are on fault lines and the seismic activity under the Pickering plant has increased disturbingly in magnitude and frequency over the last twenty years or so. I’d also like to see a health study of densely populated areas such as Down Town Toronto with all the noise and pollution. I do know tho that a study of residents in Hamilton near the QEW a few years ago showed rather bad health results.
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Well said, Gracia!
But don’t forget the perils of living below high-voltage power lines – we should be banning those too. Maybe we should just get out of electricity altogether – it’s far too disruptive & unhealthy…. 8=}
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For years the Government of Ontario has been in denial about the possible — and very likely — negative health effects of wind turbines. That they may be safer than nuclear power, and indeed though electricity itself may be a hazard (shocking, eh?) one affected by their proximity suffers. Should anyone suffer physical ills so that the rest of us may feel more comfortable? There are opportunity costs to all sources of energy. Whether we wish to pay them is another matter. However, no one of us should suffer ill health because the rest of us don’t have the energy source in “our back yard”.
We have done enough damage to our planet with our careless use of resources and our greed. Some things are not worth the cost. Certainly, no one should become ill or die because of our individual desires to be more comfortable.
It is high time we had an honest, scientific, look at the true cost of our energy sources. I’m pleased to see that, at least on this one, the Harper Government is doing things right. Where has Dalton McGuinty been all these years? Has he not heard the concerns of many Ontario residents respecting his approaches to energy in this province? It’s costing all of us plenty! And, not just in our pocketbooks, but perhaps our health costs are high, too.
Oh, that’s right. He seems to have messed up our health system, too
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