Ottawa, November 17, 2015

Windmill Development Group welcomes the Ontario Municipal Board’s clear and unequivocal decision to dismiss the appeals that were filed following the City of Ottawa’s approval to change the zoning to accommodate the Zibi project.

Windmill looks forward to proceeding with its plans to transform these contaminated and closed-off industrial lands into the world’s most sustainable community, and to making Zibi a place where the culture and history of the Algonquin Anishinabe is not only present, but celebrated.

“We’re greatly encouraged that the Ontario Municipal Board recognizes that the City and Windmill have ‘consulted and engaged with the public and the First Nations and that aboriginal history and culture will be respected and incorporated into the proposed development plans’”, stated Jeff Westeinde, Chair of Windmill Development Groups.

Windmill also looks forward to the opportunity to highlight the long history and industrial heritage of the site, and to providing public access to the islands’ waterfronts and the Chaudière Falls for the first time in almost 200 years.

“This decision clears the way for us to proceed with the great work of developing Canada’s first One Planet Community, a veritable sustainable showpiece, here in the heart of the National Capital Region,” said Rodney Wilts, Partner, Windmill Development. “We know the project is highly anticipated, and we look forward to delivering on our vision.”

Windmill has conducted over the last few years the most inclusive and robust engagement program by a private developer with First Nations, certainly in Eastern Canada, and possibly in all of Canada, voluntarily surpassing any legal requirement to do so. As part of its award-winning engagement program, Windmill reached out to all of the Algonquin Anishinabe communities, the majority of whom had never been invited to participate, nor asked to participate, in consultations related to national capital regional planning matters.

Windmill is committed to developing Zibi in friendship with the Algonquin Anishinabe, and to making Zibi as beneficial as possible with and for the Algonquin nation and people.

To view the OMB’s full decision click here.

For more information on Windmill’s engagement program with the Algonquin Anishinabe, see www.zibi-i-site.ca