Perth Wellington's MPP says the province's announcement this week to spend $100-million to build natural gas lines to rural Ontario, is a huge cut from an original funding promise.
Randy Pettapiece says the government promised in April 2015 to offer $200-million in loans and $30-million in grants. He says the original announcement was made in April 2015 in a press release that has now been removed from the government's website.
Pettapiece says the $130-million cut to natural gas funding has him concerned about the implications for rural areas without natural gas.
“Rising hydro rates have hit rural Ontario the hardest,” Pettapiece says. “That’s why it’s so important for us to have more affordable options, including natural gas.”
He adds that he has contacted the minister of infrastructure for more details on eligibility and the application process, but he is still waiting for answers.
“Maybe the government is finally starting to realize it too,” Pettapiece says. “Or why would they make so many announcements?”
The MPP strongly supports the Township of Perth East in its efforts to secure natural gas access in Milverton. He has raised the issue in letters and in the legislature.
Last spring, the Liberals disavowed leaked cabinet documents showing the government preparing to impose new barriers to natural gas access — effectively banning it from all homes and small buildings built in 2030 or later.
