Union Gas wants the province to delay its implementation of the cap-and-trade framework.
General manager of cap-and-trade and legal affairs Tanya Mushynski says the utility supports the transition to a lower-carbon economy, but not at an annual cost of $1.9-billion.
"We've suggested there be a small delay in implementation for gas utilities until 2018, this was an approach taken in both California and Quebec, she says. "We believe that households and small businesses will share most of the cost of the program."
Mushynski says time to prepare and adapt would help consumers and small businesses better deal with that potential cost increase.
She says the utility will continue to work with the government before it finalizes the framework of the cap-and-trade program later this year.
