Every 1,000 MW of new installed wind generation capacity represents approximately $2.75 billion in private sector investment, 1,000 new jobs, and enough electricity to power 300,000 Canadian homes. It also provides $3 million in annual lease payments for farmers and other rural landowners as well as a similar amount in new taxes for rural municipalities.
"Between now and 2020, it is projected that $1 trillion will be invested in wind energy projects globally, creating more than 1.75 million jobs," said CanWEA president Robert Hornung. "[This] announcement will help Ontario capture a growing portion of this rapidly expanding global economic opportunity, but will require continued investment in transmissions and infrastructure upgrades."
Achieving the goal of providing 20 percent of the country's electricity needs with wind energy by the year 2025 will result in $79 billion in new investment, the creation of up to 52,000 new "green collar" jobs, and more than $165 million in new revenues for municipalities.