Before the election, the McGuinty government put a moratorium on
offshore wind projects, claiming that further research was needed.
Now, one of the companies that planned to build an off-shore wind
farm in Lake Ontario is suing for compensation.
Trillium Power Wind Corp. filed a statement of claim reportedly claiming
that the moratorium constituted "a confiscation of property
rights, without warning or substantive justification."
However, Trillium has not posted its statement of claim, and did
not return calls last week.
The claim raises the question to what degree developers can rely
on government policies, and whether government can be called to
account for losses suffered when it changes its mind. Certainly,
the moratorium was inconsistent with the Green Energy Act
and many government speeches encouraging the development of
renewable energy projects. Trillium may have incurred substantial
losses, but does a government invitation to invest in developing
