New wind turbine blade factory in Tillsonburg creates more jobs and economic
benefits for Ontario

Helps position Ontario as a leader in building the North American green economy

OTTAWA, Dec. 2 /CNW/ - The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) applauds today's announcement of Ontario's first wind turbine blade manufacturing plant to be located in Tillsonburg. The plant, to be built and operated by Siemens, will create 300 full-time manufacturing jobs and up to 600 construction and indirect services jobs in the region.

"The new wind turbine blade factory in Tillsonburg is the latest example of how the wind energy industry is creating new green jobs for Ontario's manufacturing sector," says CanWEA president Robert Hornung. "This announcement provides further evidence that the Green Energy Act has positioned Ontario to compete successfully for new investments in wind energy manufacturing. Today's announcement is a very positive example of the potential for traditional manufacturing centres to diversify and find new opportunities in high growth sectors like wind energy."

The new plant is being built by Siemens Canada as part of its agreement to supply 600 megawatts (MW) of wind turbines to Samsung C&T and development partner Pattern Energy - 600 MW is enough electricity to power more than 160,000 homes, or a city the size of Oakville.

Canada currently has 3,549 MW of installed wind energy capacity. Ontario is the provincial leader in installed wind energy capacity with 1,298 MW (one-third) of wind energy development. Quebec and Alberta follow at 663MW and 656 MW respectively (one-third), and Canada's remaining seven provinces together account for the remaining one-third.

About the Canadian Wind Energy Association

CanWEA is the voice of Canada's wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy on behalf of its more than 450 members. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada's leading source of credible information about wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits. To join other global leaders in the wind energy industry, CanWEA believes Canada can and must reach its target of producing 20 per cent or more of the country's electricity from wind by 2025. The document Wind Vision 2025 - Powering Canada's Future is available at www.canwea.ca.

For further information:

For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact:

Ulrike Kucera, Media Relations Officer
Canadian Wind Energy Association
(O) 613 234 8716 ext. 228
(M) 613 867 4433