This week the provincial government rolled out a new promise to spend $100 million to build natural-gas lines for rural Ontario.
But Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece says that’s much less than a previous promise by the government of $200 million in loans and $30 million in grants.
The Liberal government made the original promise in April 2015 in a press release.
In a Feb. 2 press release, Pettapiece stated he is concerned about the implications for rural communities currently without access to natural gas.
“This is just the latest in long line of broken promises,” Pettapiece said. “In effect, it’s a $130-million-dollar cut to the future of natural gas in rural Ontario.”
The government says the new Natural Gas Grant Program will begin accepting applications in spring 2017. Pettapiece vowed to make sure that happens. “When the government makes a promise on something so crucial to rural Ontario, they need to start following through,” he said. “It comes down to credibility.”
On learning of the new program, Pettapiece’s office immediately contacted the Ministry of Infrastructure for more details on eligibility and the application process. He has yet to receive that information.
“Rising hydro rates have hit rural Ontario the hardest,” Pettapiece explained. “That’s why it’s so important for us to have more affordable options, including natural gas.
In a Jan. 30 press release the province’s agriculture minister Jeff Leal stated, “Our government is delivering on its promise to expand natural gas to rural Ontario. This key infrastructure investment will provide more affordable energy choices for rural Ontario businesses and families as well as our agri-food sector, helping generate economic activity, create jobs and attract new industry to Ontario.”
Steve Baker, president of Union Gas, also expressed support for the program in a statement. “Union Gas has been working cooperatively with the Ontario government over the past few years to bring natural gas to northern, rural and Indigenous communities,” said Baker.
“Today’s announcement of a $100 million Natural Gas Grant program will help us move forward on our commitment to bring affordable and clean energy to more communities and families.”
Association of Municipalities of Ontario president Lynn Dollin said the gas grant program “will improve access, affordability and choice for people living in rural and northern Ontario.”
In a press release issued by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), president Keith Currie stated, “OFA looks forward to working with the government to develop a real program to secure natural gas access throughout rural Ontario.”
