The signature cap and trade program being introduced by the Ontario Liberals in the newly released budget is causing some concern for Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope.
He says the costs associated with the climate change-fighting policy aren't good for local efforts to expand natural gas availability.
"It's going to cost more for natural gas into our homes, businesses, and in the agricultural industry," says Hope, unhappy with the added costs. "Especially at a time when we're trying to deploy more gas lines to support agriculture, support smaller communities."
The government says cap and trade is set to add about 4.3-cents a litre to the price of gas and about $5 a month to natural gas home heating bills in the first year.
Hope feels the cap and trade program disproportionately affects rural communities compared to urban centres.
"They have modern ways of transportation other than a vehicle that can get them from point A to point B, but yeah let's punish the ones that need a vehicle for necessity of life and rural Ontario needs that," says Hope.
The cap and trade program is expected to generate $1.9-billion from the first full year of the plan.
