Welcome to the website for the Benjamins Mill Wind Project. This website has been created to provide information to community members, First Nations, government and other stakeholders about the proposed project. Natural Forces is committed to meeting with stakeholders about our projects. Open houses and other community engagement activities are planned for this project and the website will be updated as information is available.

Update: the environmental assessment for the Benjamins Mill Wind Project was registered with the province on January 18, 2022. More information is included below.

Interested in staying up to date on the project? Join our mailing list by clicking here to sign up and receive project updates!


About the project

The Benjamins Mill Wind Project is being developed by a partnership formed between Natural Forces and Wskijnu'k Mtmo'taqnuow Agency Ltd (WMA)​, a corporate body wholly owned by the 13 Mi'maq Nations of Nova Scotia. Together, the partnership will construct, operate, and own the project. 

The proposed project will have an installed capacity of anywhere between 50 MW to 150 MW. This represents 8 to 28 turbines that and could collectively power an estimated 17,000-50,000 homes.The project is located in the West Hants Regional Municipality in Hants County, a few kilometers from Smith's Corner and Falls Lake.

Note: Natural Forces intends to bid this project into Nova Scotia's upcoming renewable energy program, the Rate Based Procurement Program. For more information, visit the program's FAQ section for the public here.​

Why here?

When developing a wind project, it is crucial to find the best suitable location and community to host it.  To do so, there are four main factors to consider during the site finding phase of development: ​
  • Wind resource
  • Distance to existing electrical and civil infrastructure
  • Environmental sensitivity
  • Socio-economic concerns 
Nova Scotia has excellent wind resource, so generating electricity is feasible in many locations around the province. Factors other than the strength and consistency of the wind must be taken into account when considering a site, such as proximity to the electricity grid, road access, ecology, archaeology, and cultural significance, proximity to residential dwellings, and health concerns.

​The location of the Benjamins Mill Wind Project was selected after a thorough review of all of these factors.

Our process

1. Development - Current Phase
  • Assess the wind resource
  • Survey for environmentally sensitive features 
  • Optimize turbine location to capture the wind efficiently and minimize impact on sensitive features
  • Begin consultation with regulators and the public
  • Conduct and present the Environmental Impact Assessment for environmental approval
  • Apply for road, work and construction permits​
2. Construction​
  • Clear trees for roads and turbine pads
  • Build access roads and pad areas
  • Pour the turbine foundation
  • Assemble the wind turbine
  • Connect to NS Power's electrical grid
​3. Operation​
  • Commission the wind turbines to start producing power
  • Conduct post-construction wildlife monitoring
  • Monitor remotely for real time alerts when additional maintenance is needed
  • Operate for 30 years​
4. Decommission or Retrofit
  • Assess wind turbine after 30 years
  • Decommission wind turbines in 3-6 months
  • Reclaim the site to its former state OR
  • Receive approvals and permits to retrofit the turbine to continue harnessing energy​

What we're doing

Overall Project Timeline

Projected timelines are as follows:
  • Fall, 2021 - Natural Forces staff continued to work on the permitting process, including conducting and completing environmental studies. We also worked on preparing our bid for the Nova Scotia Rate Based Procurement Program.
  • Winter, 2022 - Natural Forces submitted our environmental assessment to the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change for review. We are currently in the public comment period on the assessment, which ends February 17 2022. 
  • Spring-Summer, 2022 - Natural Forces will submit a bid to the Nova Scotia Rate Based Procurement and the Government of Nova Scotia will thereafter announce the results of the Rate Based Program and sign a Power Purchase Agreement.
  • Fall 2022/Winter 2023 - Natural Forces will host an open house regarding construction. Pre-construction activities and site preparation will begin.
  • 2023-2025 - The site will be constructed and commissioned.

Our studies

As part of the permitting process, and to give us a better sense of the land and environment, Natural Forces conducted a number of studies on the lands surrounding this project area. 

Natural Forces has a team of biologists, planners, engineers, wind resource experts and other scientific professionals that conducted, monitored and reviewed these studies. We also hired top-tier consulting firms to conduct research on our behalf and make recommendations. 

More information on these studies is available on this webpage below. We will also host an online open house in early 2022 to discuss the results of these studies and hear feedback from the public. Information on this open house will be sent out to stakeholders and posted on this website closer to the date.

Project Updates

Natural Forces is currently developing this project with the intention to bid into upcoming renewable energy procurement programs, such as the Nova Scotia Rate Based Procurement Program and the Green Choice Program. Timing is dependent on signing a Power Purchase Agreement. As such, any timelines are subject to change.

Municipal Permitting Updates:
  • At the moment, Natural Forces is working with the Municipality of West Hants to obtain a Development Agreement for the project. The application will be considered at three upcoming municipal meetings:
    • April 14 2022 at 6 pm: Public Information Meeting at the Planning and Heritage Advisory Committee (PAC/HAC) to provide a review and recommendation of the Project's application
    • April 26 2022 at 6 pm: First Reading at Council Meeting
    • May 31 2022 at 6 pm: Public Hearing and Second Reading at Council Meeting

Open House 2 - Agenda and Presentation

The second open house for the proposed Benjamins Mill Wind Project was virtually held on February 3, 2022. This meeting was held to update the community and the public on the results from the environmental impact assessment (EIA), which was registered with the Province on January 18, 2022. More information on the EIA can be found in the section following this one.

The meeting followed the following agenda: 

6:45 – Meet and greet: participants and Natural Forces chatted and introduced themselves
7:00 – A presentation was given by Natural Forces staff that outlined the project partners, the goal of the company, siting considerations, development work to date, the results from the EIA, and what work still needs to be completed. 
7:30 – An informal question period was held, where participants asked questions about the EIA, the project layout, and general project inquiries. These questions can be found in the FAQ section on the website. 

The presentation that was given can be found below. If you have any questions regarding the open house or the project in general, you can email your questions to Meg Morris at mmorris[at]naturalforces.com, or call us at 902-422-9663. 
Benjamins Mill Open House 2 - Presentation
File Size: 64059 kb
File Type: pptx
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Environmental Impact Assessment


In Nova Scotia, any wind projects that exceed 2 MW in size are required to complete a provincial environmental impact assessment (EIA). During this process, an entire committee made of provincial and federal agencies evaluate the location and overall impact of the project on the surrounding environment and the public. As the Benjamins Mill Wind Project will produce up to 150 MW of electricity, it is subject to an EIA.
​
​To fully assess the potential environmental impacts of the project, the following comprehensive studies have been conducted:
  • Wind Resource Assessment
  • Wetlands and Watercourses Surveys
  • Bird and Bat Surveys
  • Vegetation and Habitat Surveys
  • Noise and Visual Assessments
  • Radiocommunication Impact Assessments
  • Archaeological Assessments
​
​The results from these studies are compiled in the EIA document that was registered with the province on January 18, 2022.  The full EIA document and the associated studies are available for download below.
Environmental Assessment Registration Document
File Size: 37465 kb
File Type: pdf
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Benjamins Mill Environmental Studies Summary
File Size: 131 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix A - Sample Consultation Materials
File Size: 4428 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix B: Complaint Resolution Plan
File Size: 775 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix C - Sound Level Assessment
File Size: 3699 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix D - Visual Assessment
File Size: 6190 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix E - Vegetation and Lichen Surveys
File Size: 2851 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix F - Wildlife Surveys
File Size: 5003 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix G - Wetland Surveys
File Size: 8014 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix H - Bird Surveys
File Size: 3349 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix I - Radar and Acoustic Monitoring Surveys
File Size: 4684 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix J - Bat Surveys
File Size: 955 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix K - Fish Habitat Surveys
File Size: 4641 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix L - Atlantic Canadian Conservation Data Centre Report
File Size: 1199 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix M - Radiocommunication System Impact Study
File Size: 3179 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix O - Environmental Management and Protection Plan
File Size: 1866 kb
File Type: pdf
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Appendix P - Qualifications of Lead Technical Field Professionals
File Size: 1851 kb
File Type: pdf
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Questions from the Open House

Will the project go ahead without winning a power contract with the province's rate based procurement program or green choice program selections?
In order to finance and build this project, a power contract is required. These two provincial programs are opportunities to obtain a power contract. If we are not selected for the Rate Base Procurement or the Green Choice Program, we will need to wait for other opportunities in the future.
In this presentation you state that this site has 'low environmental sensitivity' but in section 5.4 of the EA th at the area is considered sensitive due to bat hibernacle in the area.
During initial site finding and desktop studies, the area was shown to be overall low environmental sensitivity. During the EA process, a bat hibernaculum was identified within [##] km. This finding increased the site's sensitivity. This information was used during the imapct assessment and will help inform the required monitoring during operations.​
We have submitted questions and comments to the province through the EA consultation process. Will these questions to the NS government site be answered?
We do not receive comments submitted through the government's website as a default - however, we are committed to obtaining any questions asked. You can also submit your questions directly to us by using the contact details at the bottom of the page.
Did you find any bobcats or moose in the studies, as they are known to inhabit this area?
We did not, but we have taken not of this and will investigate further
Will you be constructing new roads and watercourse crossings? Or will it just be upgrades?
Seeing as this site is previously disturbed by forestry activities, there is an existing network of access roads. We will be trying to use these roads as much as possible, and will perform upgrades to those that we will be using. However, some new roads will need to be constructed to access the turbine locations. The final road layout will be made available as soon as the project layout is finalized.
Can you provide an elevation drawing showing the turbines, and the visual impact it will have on falls lake, as well as a map showing how much of the land will be cleared?
Yes - we are committed to providing additional visualizations of what the project is expected to look like from Falls Lake and other landmarks near the project site, as well as a map showing how much of the project area will be cleared.
What company will be completing the third-party sound level study validation?
We are in the early stages of this process - more information will be provided when more information is learned.
Can the turbines that are closest to the houses be built last or be the first turbines to be eliminated?
The layout is not finalized at the moment, and a lot can change between now and construction. All comments on the layout will be taken into consideration when finalizing the design.
Will the turbines have a negative impact on my mental and physical health?
We are doing out due diligence to ensure that this project is developed and sited responsibly. This includes meeting and exceeding the industry setbacks. We have also conducted sound and visual studies that will be validated by a third party. These studies show that, given the worst-case scenario (i.e., climatic conditions, wind in all directions, no obstacles blocking sound and light, etc.), very minimal sound and shadow-flicker is expected to reach the nearest homes.
Will you be conducting engagement with off-reserve indigenous communities?
We are actively seeking to build relationships with community members and will continue to do so.

Frequently Asked Questions

are wind turbines noisy?
Wind turbines have moving parts and therefore some sound can be expected. However, well-designed wind turbines are generally quiet in operation, and compared to the noise of road traffic, trains, aircraft, and construction activities, the sound from wind turbines is very low. As wind turbine technology has evolved, the sounds emitted have decreased. The further away you are from a project, the less sound it will make. This site will likely have trees and other barriers that would break a lot of the sound before it reaches homes. A typical wind project would have a noise level of between 35-45 decibels. For reference, the compressor of a refrigerator produces 40-45 decibels. (Check out the Energy Nova Scotia Wind Page for more information). Stories of excessive noise often come from areas where the turbines are very close to homes. Natural Forces follows the minimum standards for distance from residences laid out by local regulations, or a typical minimum of 1KM.
How close are the turbines to Residences?
The proposed turbines will be set back at least 1.0 km from all cabins and houses.
Are wind turbines bad for my health?
​A study done by Health Canada in 2014 investigated the health effects of wind turbine noise. This study found that wind turbine noise was not associated with self-reported sleep, illness or stress levels. The summary of these results can be reviewed on the Health Canada Environmental and Workplace Health page and links to additional studies can be found in the following section.
How does Natural Forces get the land?
For this project, Natural Forces leased land from private landowners and has made agreements with the provincial government for Crown land. Over the course of several years, we have developed trusted relationships with the landowners and in all instances the land remains in the ownership of the landowner and is leased for the duration of the project. No land has been leased from unwilling landowners.
can LOCAL COMPANIES take part DURING CONSTRUCTION?
During construction, Natural Forces makes every attempt to hire local contractors, using our in-house construction management company, Natural Forces Construction, to ensure smaller contractors are able to participate. 
Will there be an impact to the environment?
Natural Forces undertakes rigorous environmental impact assessments ahead of construction to determine existing environmental sensitivities and potential impacts on the project to the environment. This information will be reviewed by provincial government officials and will be open for public comment.

More information

For more information, or if you have questions and comments on this project, please contact:
Meg Morris
mmorris@naturalforces.ca
​902-422-9663
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