North Huron Reeve Neil Vincent says local residents deserve the same access to affordable energy as 80% of Ontarians enjoy.
He says residents who have to heat with electricity pay up to $3,000 more a year.
He hopes the province does not move away from natural gas as promised today as it is the most affordable energy option for local homes and businesses. He says electricity costs in Ontario are already high enough, with significant increases scheduled in the coming years.
Vincent says the fact is residents are already choosing between paying their electricity bills and buying basic necessities like food.
The province announced today that they will spend $100-million over the next four years to replace natural gas, with renewable methane sourced energy.
Vincent says the the province's investment in methane digesters would work well in city's where there is sufficient effluent to use, but he doubts they would be viable for rural areas..
"I'm thinking that it would take 50 years to get enough built," he says. "$100-million would probably build maybe ten good methane digesters."
He says local municipalities have been working with natural gas companies to expand infrastructure to midwestern Ontario, including Auburn.
However, they need regulatory changes to allow for surcharges, or long term payments, to help pay for the expensive gas lines. And he says the province's plan to eliminate natural gas for home heating could stall that process.
