According to council, NB Power’s Brad Coady and team are coming to Tantramar Dec 17th to address council
Questions will not be open to the public, a number of whom are displeased with NB Power’s proposal
Tantramar council met Tuesday night for its regular December meeting. A full agenda moved steadily through presentations and motions, but one subject kept returning to the floor – NB Power’s proposed gas plant for Centre Village. With roughly 50 residents in attendance, the project came up again and again through public presentations and councillor discussions.
By the end of the night, council voted to oppose the proposal and ask that it be suspended until residents can question NB Power directly.
Hear the story below:
Climate assessment update opens the meeting
The night began with an update from EOS Eco Energy. Climate change projects manager Janie Brooks told council the organization is gathering local experiences with heat, drought, flooding and storms as part of a municipal climate risk assessment.
“We’re basically trying to gather people’s experiences about different climate change impacts, like drought, intense summer heat, flooding and intense storms.”
Brooks said EOS is hosting more community sessions in the new year and will be asking residents to complete an upcoming “climate check-in” survey.
Health and environmental warnings from residents
Retired family physician Dr. Harold Popma spoke, describing the health risks he associates with burning fossil gas over the long term.
He proposed to council: “There are clean energy alternatives available and already in use, convince NB Power of that. I ask you: what future health risks such as bronchitis, heart disease, cancer, and more, are we willing to accept? Stop this proposal. Go for clean energy now.”
A strong public presentation came from Penny Mott of Seniors for Climate Tantramar, who outlined five areas of concern. Her first point focused on NB Power’s own reasoning for pursuing the project.
“The economics for NB Power. This gas plant is the most economical option in the short term. They feel a gas plant is their best immediate option. For New Brunswickers, the costs, many of which will not be monetary, will be enormous.”
Mott also raised concerns about transparency, consultation, Indigenous consent, environmental impacts and climate change, saying the proposal carries risks for people, wildlife and ecosystems. She ended with a clear request.
Her short, in her five minutes or less, she discussed these concerns:
1) Skewed economics: Short-term savings, long-term costs for residents
2) Lack of Consultation: Poor transparency and disrespectful public process
3) Lack of Indigenous consent: No free, prior, informed approval
4) Obvious Environmental impacts: Harm to ecosystems, wildlife, local land
5) Human Health: Fossil fuels worsening community health risks
She called to council. “We do need you to take a public position on this gas plant proposal before it’s too late. Just stand with us as your constituents in rejecting this proposal.”
A moment in the discussion
After listing her five concerns, Mott told council she hoped for action.
Councillor Michael Tower asked her how she wanted council to make its position public.
“How would you like us to actually make that public statement?”
“I would hope that a motion might come before council this evening,” Mott replied.
Tower said he agreed with her concerns, and several councillors continued responding as the push for council to appeared to grow stronger.
Councillors press for answers and jurisdiction
Tower also expressed dissatisfaction around NB Power’s absence from previous meetings.
“I’m still waiting to see when NB Power is gonna come down and have the public meeting, as was a motion we had in council.”
Councillor Bruce Phinney referred back to his earlier confrontation with representation from ProEnergy Canada.
“I called him a liar, point blank.”
Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell read sections from the Local Governance Act and asked why the municipality could not take stronger action under its responsibilities for health, safety and nuisance.
“I’m just wondering, just for clarifying, why we can’t bring forward concerns on this.”
Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Borne answered that environmental assessments fall under provincial and federal authority, but said it is ultimately up to council what resolutions they choose to bring forward.
Council takes a position
Later in the meeting, Borne confirmed that NB Power will appear before council on December 17, but public questions will not be permitted.
As the meeting neared its end, Tower brought forward a motion calling for Tantramar to oppose the gas plant and request that the project be put on hold until both NB Power and the Climate Change Advisory Committee meet publicly with residents.
Phinney seconded the motion.
“I just want to say I concur with Councillor Tower… we can turn around and make them realize that we have to do these kinds of things in order to protect the environment and protect the people.”
The motion passed 5–2. A similar motion in September failed 5–4.
Council will now write to Premier Susan Holt asking that the proposal be suspended until the community has the chance to question NB Power directly.
