Controversy over Oshawa biofuel plant fires up again

In Canada, the Oshawa Port Authority (OPA) announced that it had given approval for FarmTech Energy Corporation (FarmTech) to build and operate an ethanol refinery at the Oshawa Harbour. Construction of the ethanol refinery (to be located on the shoreline of Lake Ontario, adjacent to the Second Marsh, a provincially significant 123-hectare coastal wetland) is expected to get underway this summer, with completion by 2014. In response to the OPA announcement, Oshawa City Council held a Special Council Meeting on August 23 and passed a motion to contact the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada to request an investigation regarding the appointments of the OPA Board in relationship to The Honourable Jim Flaherty, PC MP Whitby-Oshawa, Minister of Finance & Minister Responsible for the GTA, and to FarmTech.

City Council also passed a motion to urge the OPA to hold a public meeting to: transparently explain its decision to grant a lease for the construction of the refinery; provide an overview of its development plan for the Oshawa Harbour; address City and community concerns; and to answer resident questions regarding the refinery.