OUNGAH, Ont. — The Ontario government appears ready to pass legislation that will force Hydro One and other electrical distributors in the province to quickly address stray ground current complaints.
The second reading of a private members’ bill introduced by Conservative MPP Rick Nicholls was passed Feb. 18 with support from agriculture minister Jeff Leal.
It would require distributors to re-spond to complaints within 10 days, investigate within 30 days and take all necessary steps to re-solve ground current issues within six months.
“I am viewing this bill as being non-partisan. For the past 40 years, all three parties here have formed the government at least once, but little has been done to address this issue,” Nicholls said.
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“My critic’s role is to address issues of public safety. You’ve probably heard of Lee Montgomery. I’ve been working this with Lee for the past four years.”
Montgomery, who was in the legislature as Nicholls spoke, is a former dairy farmer who is credited with first bringing the issue to light.
He said he began having problems with his dairy herd in the early 1970s.
However, It wasn’t until 1980, after working with a veterinarian and the Ontario agriculture ministry’s dairy specialist, that the issue was linked to stray electrical current.
Montgomery sold his herd in February 1992.
Montgomery, 82, said his animals suffered for 20 years. Symptoms included swollen joints, deformed udders, a high incidence of mastitis, chronic unease and death.
He also believes stray voltage was a main factor in the death of his wife.
“She had many of the same conditions that the cows had.”
Montgomery spends much of his spare time working as a stray current advocate in Canada and the United States.
“Everything I’ve spent fighting this issue for the past 40-odd years has come out of my own pocket,” he said. “By the time most farmers ask for help, they’re broke, and so why would I ask them for anything.”
Montgomery plans to continue his efforts even if the legislation is implemented.
He’s looking for compensation for himself and other affected farm families.
“The bottom line is, this is not about just cows or Lee Montgomery, it’s about people,” Montgomery said. “I’m going to look after Lee right now and by doing that I’m going to help everyone else.… Patience has been my best ally.”
Montgomery said he had to sell 100 acres to help pay for $400,000 in debt related to the farm’s stray voltage issue.
It’s the second time a private’s member’s bill addressing stray current has passed second reading in Ontario.
Former MPP Maria Van Bommel did the same in 2006, but an election was called before it could move forward.
Her efforts led to a directive from the energy ministry to the Ontario Energy Board to develop new protocols to address stray current complaints.
