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Best Practices
This section provides best practice documents and studies that can be helpful for municipalities who have proposed projects in their area. A well-informed municipality means better informed citizens who are positioned to enjoy the benefits of wind energy.
CanWEA believes wind energy is a benefitial solution for municipalities, Canadians and their environment. Learn more about wind energy best practices for municipalities.
 Best Practices for Community Engagement and Public Consultation
CanWEA's Best Practices guide has been created for CanWEA members who have a direct role to play in planning and developing wind energy projects in Canada. While every member company is responsible for establishing its own unique policies, practices and procedures, these guidelines outline a wide range of practices to help ensure wind energy development is approved and is a welcomed addition to the community.
Effective and meaningful community engagement is fundamental to the success of a wind energy project, and introducing the Best Practices Guidelines in Community Engagement and Public Consultation is an important step in our continued effort to improve and strengthen our practices as the wind energy industry grows across Canada.
An Introduction to Wind Energy Development in Canada
An Introduction to Wind Energy Development in Canada is intended as a key tool in providing information to the public and wind energy developers not yet familiar with the Canadian wind development context. It effectively acts as an aid to municipal planners and government officials in broadly understanding wind energy development in Canada.
The guidebook was a joint project involving CanWEA, Tetra Tech and Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. It adds to the growing library of guidance documents and best practices for advocates of sustainable wind energy development in Canada.
 Position
on Setbacks for Large-Scale Wind Turbines in Rural Areas (MOE
Class 3) in Ontario
We are working with several provinces to develop best practices for setback spaces that address issues of safety and community acceptance. However, we recognize there should not be a one-size-fits-all approach to setbacks. This is why proposed wind installations typically go through several dozen municipal, provincial and federal steps of approval before fully permitted. Everything from flight paths of birds to the possible effect on fished waters is considered in the approval process.
Executive
Summary
Assessments
of Ice Throw and Blade Failure in Ontario
May 2007
Garrad Hassan Canada Inc. (GHC) has been contracted by the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) to provide recommendations for assessing the risk of ice fragments shed from wind turbines striking members of the public in the vicinity of wind farm projects in Ontario and provide a literature review of wind turbine rotor blade failures based on publicly available information.
Technical Information and Coordination Process Between Wind Turbines and Radiocommunication and Radar Systems
Studies have shown that the rotating blades and support structure of a wind turbine can impact AM (amplitude modulated) RF (radio frequency) signals. FM (frequency modulated) signals are much more immune to this phenomena and may only become impaired in very close proximity to a wind turbine.
Wind Turbines and Birds – A Guidance Document for Environmental Assessment
This Guide refers to the environmental assessment (EA) of wind energy installations with respect to birds. The Federal Government of Canada has jurisdiction over migratory birds as defined in the Migratory Birds Convention Act (MBCA) and described in Article 1 of that Act. Other birds, including raptors, blackbirds and their allies, corvids, and some upland game birds are under the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories, as are mammals (including bats), plants, and most other forms of biological diversity. The guidelines in this document are usually relevant to all species of birds, and in some cases may be helpful for some other species (e.g., bats).
Recommended Protocols for Monitoring Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds
The current document has been developed to provide proponents with information on the types of protocols likely to be useful for baseline studies and follow-up monitoring at proposed wind energy sites to evaluate impacts of wind turbines on birds.
Wind Turbines and Sound: Review and Best Practice Guidelines
Howe Gastmeier Chapnik Limited (HGC Engineering) was retained by the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) to develop a best practice guide for the development of wind turbine generation facilities in Canada with respect to noise.
Canadian Grid Code for Wind Development: Review and Recommendations
January 2006
During 2005 it became apparent that Canadian provinces were operating largely in isolation along their own timeframes to develop interconnection requirements for wind turbines and wind farms. Particularly at the transmission level, 69kV and above, this was recognised as likely to lead to different sets or requirements with different rules and stringencies in each province whereas a clear benefit could be seen for the all stakeholders in a process of consultation leading to a unified and common set of interconnection requirements across Canada. Garrad Hassan was commissioned by CanWEA to examine these issues and propose a set of basic common interconnection requirements (a Base Code) and a path for CanWEA to take them forward with stakeholders, notably the provincial utilities and transmission system operators.
Ontario Landowner's Guide to Wind Energy
Issued by: Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA)
Description: Over the past several years, wind developers have been prospecting for windy sites in southern Ontario, predominantly along the shores of the Great Lakes and along the Niagara highlands as possible locations for large wind farms. In many areas rural landowners, especially farmers, have received offers to lease their land from these wind power developers. It became apparent that a written guide for landowners considering wind power development would be a valuable tool.
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