Lake Ontario Offshore Network announces membership; Members join forces to entice jobs to Ontario

BURLINGTON, ON, Jan. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - A newly formed consortium of Lake Ontario based organizations that have come together to encourage and facilitate the development of offshore wind power in Ontario is announcing its list of members. The Lake Ontario Offshore Network (LOON) is comprised of large and small employers in the Hamilton, Burlington, Niagara and Kingston areas eager to see Ontario become the North American capital of the offshore wind industry. Members include Akzo Nobel Coating Limited, Anchor Concrete Products Ltd., Bermingham Foundation Solutions, Essar Steel Algoma Inc., Great Lakes Stevedoring Co. Ltd., the Hamilton Port Authority, the Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Mammoet Canada Eastern Ltd., McKeil Marine Limited, the Niagara Industrial Association, Ortech Power, Samuel & Son, Limited, Seaway Marine & Industrial Inc, Siemens Wind Power, M. Sullivan & Sons Ltd., Vestas Wind Systems, Walters Inc. and Windstream Energy Inc. As a whole, the consortium employs more than 7,000 people in Ontario and is comprised of companies that would supply and maintain the industry.

With the large number of proposed offshore wind power projects proposed in the Great Lakes, LOON members have joined together to encourage that investment to come to Ontario. "LOON believes that the jurisdiction that builds the first offshore wind farm will gain the expertise that can be exported to the entire future North American market. We want Ontario to be home to that expertise. We need the jobs," stated Ian Baines, President of Windstream Energy and member of LOON. An AECOM employment and economic study has determined that Windstream's Wolfe Island Shoals Offshore Wind Power Project, will create 1900 jobs during the five-year development and construction period and 175 long-term jobs during the subsequent operational period. The project is expected to generate over $850 million in direct Ontario-based capital expenditures. The results of the study show that the project has the ability to significantly impact unemployment rates in the region and across Ontario.

The Lake Ontario Offshore Network's members recognize Ontario's current economic hardships and are committed to bringing these jobs to their communities. LOON is encouraging the provincial government to move forward with Windstream's Wolfe Island Shoals Offshore Wind Project as a pilot project, recognizing the current moratorium on offshore wind in the Province.

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