Chatham-Kent's mayor says he thinks the province got the message loud and clear.
That message being the municipality -- like others across Ontario -- is completely opposed to any plans to phase out natural gas.
Mayor Randy Hope met with the energy minister at this week's Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Windsor, and says he got the feeling it's a plan of the past.
"I don't think the intent is to eliminate [natural gas]. I think they got the message loud and clear that there needs to be a mixture of energy in some of the rules they're implementing, like the building code," says Hope. "But the important thing is, how do we live with cap and trade?"
Hope says what worries him most now is seeing the province reach emission reduction targets by taking more money out of the pockets of people.
"There is renewable natural gas, like taking gas from landfill sites because of the methane that's produced" he says. "But some of our concerns are more around the building codes that will limit or prohibit natural gas from being used under these new [cap and trade] constructs."
Hope says he has an upcoming meeting with AMO staff to discuss the issue of a cap-and-trade system, but adds, ultimately, the proof will be in the pudding.
"I've been rest assured by the government that they'll listen to some of the concerns we have from both Chatham-Kent's perspective and from the Western Wardens," he says. "But I guess we'll see as we move forward with the government's initiative, we'll see if they're listening or not."
