They’re ready willing and able, with three local companies already onboard and jobs for 1,900.

There’s just one thing holding up the go-ahead for the first offshore win wind project in North America — a provincial moratorium.

Nevertheless, Windstream Energy has announced its decision to invest in Kingston, home to Ontario’s first contracted offshore wind power project.

Windstream holds the only offshore wind power Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) contract in the Province of Ontario, which was awarded by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in May 2010.

The $1.6 billion project, to be located from 5 to 16 kilometres off the southwest shore of Wolfe Island, in eastern Lake Ontario, is “ready to go immediately,” says a company official, with regulatory approvals and studies to follow.

At a press conference Jan. 25, organized by the Lake Ontario Offshore Network (LOON), Windstream announced preliminary agreements with Anchor Concrete Products Ltd., George A. Wright & Son Ltd. and M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. for its 300 MW Wolfe Island Shoals offshore wind power project.

These three companies will be providing onsite maintenance for the project, local project support during construction, supply concrete elements for the project and build the dock and shore facilities within Kingston.

Anchor Concrete Products Ltd. will be providing concrete services for the electrical substation, will supply concrete for the project and will build the project’s dock. George A. Wright & Son Ltd. will provide local fabrication and repair services for mechanical equipment, as well as provide equipment for the service platforms on the windmills. M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. will be the contractor for the local construction of the port and shore facilities.

An AECOM study commissioned by Windstream estimates approximately 1,900 jobs will be created in Ontario during the first five years of construction of the project.

Ian Baines, President of Windstream Energy, said, “Windstream is looking forward to bringing jobs and investments to the communities that will host this project. The local Kingston expertise related to this niche project will be exportable and will make Kingston a hub for future development.”

Kingston Mayor Mark Gerretsen said the city is looking forward to being part of the first offshore wind power project in North America.

And, we have the people to do the job.

“Kingston has a talented pool of labour, and companies with the high tech skills needed to complete these complex jobs,” said Gerretsen. “Today’s announcement strengthens the Kingston community by finding quality jobs for our students and encouraging them to establish roots in our community.”

The regional economy stands to benefit, said Jeff Garrah, the CEO of KEDCO.

“The Wolfe Island Shoals project has the possibility of attracting short term and long term jobs. KEDCO will do what it can to support LOON’s efforts,” said Garrah.

Greg Sullivan, Vice President of M. Sullivan & Son Ltd., said, “The Windstream Wolfe Island Shoals project will no doubt be a shot in the arm for local trade construction workers and I hope that all governing bodies will come to realize this soon.”

While business leaders appear to be unanimous in their support of the offshore project, the province’s biggest farm organization is not.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is calling for a pause to resolve questions about wind energy, namely, the price of wind power, its effectiveness, impact on rural communities and lack of local control over big turbines.