Plympton-Wyoming's mayor hopes the change in the provincial government will see a fairer tax assessment for industrial wind turbines.
Lonny Napper said he wants the Tory government to bring the turbines' market value assessment in line with other commercial rates such as gas lines and grain elevators. Right now, he said the turbines cost about $5 million to build but are only assessed at $40,000.
The municipality is home to two dozen turbines in the Cedar Point Wind Power Project.
"It frees up money that the government doesn't have to give us, it would really bring up our tax base, and that's right across Ontario," said Napper. "I just think it's a fair way to do it, and I think now is the time to look at when they've cancelled the Green Energy Act."
Mayor Napper said the former Liberal government and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation couldn't agree on who was responsible for setting the $40,000 assessment.
"I want to find out if that part of it was also cancelled. I've already reached out to MPPs Monte McNaughton and Bob Bailey and we have meetings set up," said Napper. " They were very open-minded to hearing what we have to say. What we'll do then is reach out and go through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and see how much support we've got, and if we can get other municipalities going forward."