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featured Report
Citizens’ Assembly on Energy Affordability
In February 2023, the Conservation Council brought together a small group of New Brunswickers with different perspectives for a deep dive into the province’s electricity landscape, tasking them with identifying the principles, policies, and programs that would improve household energy efficiency, reduce household energy costs and address energy poverty.
Climate Change Reports/Positions
Submission to New Brunswick’s energy transition group regarding New Brunswick energy strategy
Available in English. 10 pages. The Conservation Council’s Council response to the New Brunswick government’s energy strategy. The Conservation Council criticizes the strategy’s promotion of fracked gas/LNG as clean energy, emphasizing the need for renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Concerns are also raised about the sustainability and economic viability of biomass and small modular reactors. The Conservation Council supports the province’s commitment to renewables and calls for greater expansion and transparency in energy efficiency programs, as well as regional transmission upgrades.
Comments on Mill Modernization EIA for Reversing Falls Mill by Irving Pulp & Paper, Ltd.
Available in English. Two pages. Comments regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a project to upgrade the Reversing Falls Mill, operated by Irving Pulp & Paper, Ltd. Issues highlighted include an analysis of potential ecological and procedural shortcomings identified in the EIA, including the environmental impact of increased production and emissions, and questions about the normalization of emissions data.
Joint Letter: Atlantic Canadian LNG Exports Face Scrutiny Amid Global Renewable Surge
Available in English and French. 4 pages. The Canadian fossil fuel industry is pushing to accelerate LNG development, on both the East and West coasts. Advocates from both coasts have come together to tell their provincial governments and federal officials that Canada’s coast don’t need more LNG. With this letter, written on behalf of 28 environmental non-governmental organizations throughout Atlantic Canada, we urge members of parliament and provincial premiers to halt fossil fuel development and prioritize renewable energy initiatives.
Recommendations for the updated Clean Electricity Regulations
Available in English. 6 pages. While we commend the effort put into the updated CER release and appreciate the closure of certain loopholes, concerns persist regarding the potential weakening of regulatory standards. It is essential to maintain a stringent performance standard and keep the EoPL at or below 20 years within the CER, particularly in light of Canada’s commitments to achieving a net-zero economy by 2050. We urge policymakers to finalize the regulations by the fall of 2024 to ensure timely implementation and maximize their meaningful impact on emissions reduction efforts. It is only through concerted and decisive action that we can effectively address climate change and safeguard the future of our planet.
Recommendations for the Government of Canada’s Budget 2024
Available in English. 3 pages. Canada has witnessed unprecedented climate-related disasters, including wildfires, floods, and warming oceans. Urgent action is needed to mitigate these risks, protect communities, and enhance public health. Investing in environmental initiatives and energy efficiency programs not only mitigates climate change but also enhances affordability, improves public health, and promotes social equity. In addition, Canada’s natural spaces and species are in a dangerous decline. We must act now to halt and reverse nature’s decline in Canada. Below, we provide recommendations for the Government of Canada to consider when developing Budget 2024. The proposed measures align with the goals of Budget 2024 and demonstrate Canada’s commitment to sustainable development.
Available in English. 2 pages. We strongly encourage the government to consider climate change and its impacts on Canadians and the world when making budget decisions for 2024. Every decision we make or don’t make is a climate decision. Therefore, we ask the government to invest in our green economy and eliminate all subsidies that harm nature. Furthermore, we recommend that the government allocate funds to implement Canada’s commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Submission to Finance Canada: Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit
Available in English. 4 pages. The proposed ITC should align with environmentally, socially, and economically sound solutions. Priority should be given to green hydrogen production over fossil fuel-based alternatives to effectively meet Canada’s climate commitments. Transparency regarding emissions and adherence to strict principles of additionality and accountability are essential. Additionally, renewable energy projects should not be stopped or diverted for hydrogen projects.
Available in English. 5 pages. As part of our Climate Solutions Program, we aim to identify strategies to achieve net-zero emissions in the electricity and energy sectors, hence our participation in the Regulatory Framework for Oil and Gas Greenhouse Gas Emissions Caps submission process. We applaud the release of the oil and gas emissions cap framework during COP28 as a positive step towards Canada’s climate goals. However, we express concerns about certain aspects of the proposed design.
Submission to the Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 157, Number 33: Clean Electricity Regulations
Available in English. 12 pages. While the draft Clean Electricity Regulations exhibit many favorable aspects, offering robust support for the necessary decarbonization efforts, there are areas where regulatory modifications could enhance energy reliability and resiliency. We also advocate for greater stringency in the regulations to minimize emissions that may persist on the grid in 2035 and to accelerate grid decarbonization, preventing further emissions from the electricity sector.
Barriers & Solutions to Achieving Net-Zero Emissions Goals in Canada’s Electricity Sector
Available in English. 17 pages. This is the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s (CCNB) response to the invitation by the Canada Electricity Advisory Council (CEAC) Stakeholder Engagement on Barriers & Solutions to Achieving Net-Zero Emissions Goals in Canada’s Electricity Sector. In response to questions posed by the CEAC, our focus remains on ensuring a net-zero economy by 2050, with a specific emphasis on achieving a net-zero electricity sector by 2035.
Available in English. 16 pages. In the assessment conducted by the Conservation Council, Small Modular Reactors
increase environmental and social risks. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick, in its role, adopts a position of opposition regarding the advancement of nuclear energy, including the deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are less cost-effective and less sustainable compared to renewable energy such as wind or solar.
Available in English. 72 pages. This report was prepared to support and inform engagement by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick on the development of the federal government’s Clean Electricity Regulations (CER).The report reviews legislation in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to explore how the use of wood biomass to generate electricity is currently being regulated at the provincial level in Canada. Additionally, the report considers how ECCC has regulated the use of biomass under Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) and considers whether regulatory mechanisms established in the CFR provide good models for the CER’s approach to the use of wood biomass to generate electricity.
Available in English and French. Four pages. The Federal Clean Fuel Regulations, published in 2022, are cost-effective means to incentivize oil and gas companies to move towards clean fuel technologies. They provide an opportunity for innovation along with increasing affordability and public safety. Scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2023, the Atlantic Premiers have made a call to the federal government to push back this timeline.
Citizens’ Assembly on Energy Affordability (March 2023)
Available in English and French. 33 pages. In February 2023, the Conservation Council brought together a small group of New Brunswickers with different perspectives for a deep dive into the province’s electricity landscape, tasking them with identifying the principles, policies, and programs that would improve household energy efficiency, reduce household energy costs and address energy poverty. The resulting Statement on Electricity Affordability, developed collectively by assembly participants, envisions an electricity system built on transparency, accountability and trust and provides recommendations to guide government and utilities toward a fair, secure and sustainable electricity future.
Available in English. Three pages. The Conservation Council’s submission to Natural Resource Canada’s (NRCan)
consultation on the regulatory, policy, and market barriers and opportunities for accelerating the pace of electrification and electricity grid modernization.
New Brunswick needs a clean electricity strategy.
Available in English and French. Twenty-six pages. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s presentation to the standing committee on climate change and environmental stewardship regarding small modular nuclear reactors and the need for a clean electricity strategy in New Brunswick.
EUB Submission on NB Power’s proposed general rate increase (Jan 2023)
Available in English. Twenty-one pages. Dr. Louise Comeau, Director of Climate Solutions with the Conservation Council, appeared as an intervenor before the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board on Jan. 30 as part of the board’s review of NB Power’s proposed general rate increase.
Available in English. Three pages. The transformation of Canada’s electricity system is a Canadian success story we need to build on to reach a zero-emitting grid by 2035. In this letter, the Conservation Council urges stronger integration of policy, program, and investments to ensure electrification does not come at the expense of provinces, ratepayers or the poor.
Available in English. Four pages. The joint letter, signed on by the Conservation Council and our allies across the country, sent to Ministers Guilbeault and Wilkinson, containing our recommendations for an effective clean electricity standard policy.
Available in English and French. Two pages. Under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, provinces were required to submit their 2023-2026 carbon pricing plans to Environment and Climate Change Canada in September. The minister must now make a determination as to whether each plan meets the federal benchmark and implement the federal backstop in provinces that do not meet the benchmark. In this letter, we outline our concerns surrounding provincial plans for carbon pricing from 2023-2030.
Letters to Premiers on carbon pricing plans (Oct 2022)
Available in English and French. Three pages. Under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, provinces were required to submit their 2023-2026 carbon pricing plans to Environment and Climate Change Canada in September. The minister must now make a determination as to whether each plan meets the federal benchmark and implement the federal backstop in provinces that do not meet the benchmark. In this letter, we outline our concerns surrounding provincial plans for carbon pricing from 2023-2030.
Letter to Minister Holland on developing Clean Electricity Strategy (Sept 2022)
Available in English. Three pages. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB) welcomes the Government’s five-year climate plan update, Our Pathway Towards Decarbonization and Climate Resilience: New Brunswick’s Climate Change Plan 2022 – 2027. This letter focuses on the commitment to develop a clean electricity strategy (see Appendix). We believe that a clean electricity strategy is fundamental to New Brunswick’s ability to transition to near zero emissions, which requires that we electrify our economy and our lives.
New Brunswickers Deserve Facts, Not Hype, On Liquefied Natural Gas (Briefing Note, August 2022)
Available in English and French. Five pages. This briefing note challenges Premier Blaine Higgs’ claims about converting the Saint John LNG import facility to an export terminal (and later hydrogen), the role New Brunswick can play in addressing Europe’s energy crisis caused by the Russian war in Ukraine, and the potential lifting of the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in New Brunswick. Published Aug. 3, 2022.
Available in English. Two pages. In this letter, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick requests that Hon. Steven Guilbeault exercise his authority pursuant to section 9(1) of the Impact Assessment Act (“IAA”) to designate the proposed Small Modular Reactor (SMR) demonstration project at Point Lepreau for a federal impact assessment.
Report: Electric School Bus Roundtable
Available in English. Five pages. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick held a roundtable on electrifying the province’s school bus fleet in the summer of 2022. Various stakeholders participated, including bus drivers, teachers, parents of students, health advocates, transportation experts, and government officials. This report provides a summary of the discussion, including the challenges, opportunities and solutions presented by participants.
CCNB Submission on Clean Electricity Standard (April 2022)
Available in English. 8 pages. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s response to the federal discussion paper on a clean electricity standard in support of a net-zero electricity sector.
Letter to Hon Dominic Leblanc on proposed Bay du Nord deep-water oil project (February 2022)
Available in English and French. 3 pages. In this letter, we outline our concerns surrounding the proposed Bay du Nord deep-water oil project and call on all New Brunswick Members of Parliament and Cabinet to reject this proposal in favour of clean and non-polluting energy.
Submission: Updating New Brunswick’s Climate Action Plan, A Strategic Opportunity.
Available in English. 22 pages. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s submission to the provincial government as part of the climate action plan update.
Available in English and French. 45 pages. Read through our presentation to the Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship on the need for sweeping electricity reform and better energy efficiency retrofit programs for New Brunswickers. Presented by our director of climate change and energy solutions, Dr. Louise Comeau, in the Legislative Council Chamber on Thursday, Jan 18, 2022. We urge MLA’s on the standing committee to take advantage of this opportunity to fill in the gaps in the current plan, particularly in regards to electricity policy and reform.
Available in English and French. Two pages. Our letter offers conservationists’ recommendations for advancing climate action during the upcoming legislative session. Our letter notes that the climate action plan for New Brunswick will reach its five-year mark this December and needs to be updated and reviewed. We urge Premier Higgs to take advantage of this opportunity to fill in the gaps in the current plan, particularly in regards to electricity policy and reform.
Available in English and French. Two pages. In this letter, we congratulate Minister Guilbeault on his appointment as Minister of Environment and Climate Change and bring to his attention the opportunity to shine internationally by strengthening Canada’s commitment to coal phase-out ahead of the COP meetings in November 2021.
Available in English and French. Five pages. Our letter outlines the Conservation Council’s concerns with New Brunswick’s plan to burn coal beyond the 2030 phase out, including a lack of transparency, the urgency with which we need to act on climate change, and the inconsistency of an equivalency agreement as Canada promotes the Powering Past Coal Alliance and prepares for the COP meetings in November 2021.
Conservation Council’s Submission on the effectiveness of Canada’s Output-Based Pricing System.
Available in English. Six pages. Principles guiding this submission include: The need for Canada’s efforts to align with the global carbon budget needed to limit global average temperature increase to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius; and, the need for Canada’s efforts to align today with its fair contribution to global emissions reductions; a level suggesting 60 per cent reductions in domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 2030; and the need to reach near zero no later than 2050 and likely earlier.
Conservation Council’s submission on proposed Clean Fuel Standard Regulation.
Available in English. Four pages. The Conservation Council’s submission to Environment and Climate Change Canada on the proposed Clean Fuel Standard Regulation.
Available in English. 4 pages. Climate change threatens Atlantic Canada’s quality of life, security and capacity to prosper economically through coastal sea level rise and erosion, extreme weather events, and changes to ecosystem function affecting fisheries, forestry, and public health. Sadly, the Nova Scotia cap and trade proposal threatens to do all these things. If implemented as proposed, the cap and trade proposal could lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions in Nova Scotia, compared to the 2017 reference case. Download our letter to Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change Unit on Nova Scotia Cap and Trade Design Options. Available in English. 4 pages.
Opportunities to Adapt Climate Change Communications
Available in English. 33 pages. Looking to learn how to communicate better about climate change? Conservation Council’s Climate Change and Energy Solutions Director Dr. Louise Comeau invited the public to an online presentation on March 15, 2017 on the do’s and dont’s of communicating climate change.
If you work for the private or public sector, with non-government organizations or educational institutions, and you are struggling with how to communicate about climate change and environmental solutions like carbon pricing, you will find this webinar helpful to your work. Available in English. 33 pages.
Available in English. 97 pages. The majority New Brunswick citizens are very concerned about water pollution, according to a new comprehensive survey conducted by our Director of Climate Change and Energy Solutions, Dr. Louise Comeau, on New Brunswickers’ concerns and attitudes about fresh water and preparedness for extreme weather events.
The Conservation Council believes survey results underscore the need for government leadership both on cleaning up, and preventing, pollution being released into our precious waterways and on investing in infrastructure and preparedness to protect citizens and communities from the risks of extreme weather resulting from climate change.
- Download Dr. Louise Comeau’s complete report
- Download Louise Comeau’s research summary (Climate Change Focus)
Auditor General Kim MacPherson’s climate change report
New Brunswick Auditor General Kim MacPherson released the first volume of the 2017 New Brunswick Auditor General Report on June 20, 2017, which included an assessment of New Brunswick’s progress toward reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to climate change.
Read Chapter 3 (on climate change) from Volume I of the 2017 Auditor of the report
Read our summary of Auditor General Kim MacPherson’s recommendations.
Conservation Council’s Recommendations on how to respond to ice storms
Available in English and French. 7 pages. Following a series of extreme weather events that have been plaguing the province, we released a report, with recommendations, based on an assessment of how Fredericton responded to Post-tropical storm Arthur. Several of the recommendations we made to the province, the city and to the Emergency Measures Office (EMO) at that time are relevant to the inquiry into how EMO and NB Power responded to the recent ice storm affecting the Acadian Peninsula.
- Download our letter to the Emergency Measures Office (EMO) listing our recommendations on how to respond to ice storms. (English) (French)
- Download our presentation on how to respond to ice storms
How to minimize risk from climate change induced extreme events
Available in English. 54 pages. Extreme weather events are a growing reality for New Brunswickers concerned with effects of climate change. Luckily, Post-tropical storm Arthur provided us with important guidance on how to minimize risks to citizens from climate-change induced extreme events. Read Dr. Louise Comeau’s report on how to minimize risk from climate change induced extreme events: Community Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change: Fredericton, here.
New Brunswick Ice Storm Review – January 2017
Available in English. 169 pages. From January 24-26, 2017, an ice storm hit central and eastern New Brunswick, from Miscou Island to Sackville, causing nearly 300,000 NB Power customers losing power. Public meetings were held as part of a post-action review report of the ice storm. Judy Wagner, Clerk of the Executive Council and head of the public service, led the review. Her report, with recommendations, is supported by internal reviews undertaken by New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, NB Power and officials from the Department of Health, as well as stakeholder feedback.
- Download the full report: New Brunswick Ice Storm Review – January 2017
- Read government summary of Recommendations
- Conservation Council statement on release of 2017 Ice Storm Review
Out with the Coal, in with the New National benefits of an accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power
By Pembina Institute. 2016. Available in English. 61 Pages. As a 19th-century break-through technology, burning coal to produce electricity propelled massive improvements in the productivity and well-being of society. But in the 21st century, its continued use is much less revolutionary: coal combustion has well known health and environmental consequences. Throughout this paper, we make the case that a commitment to accelerate Canada’s phase-out of coal fired power by 2030 must be a cornerstone element of the first ministers’ upcoming national climate change plan. A commitment of this nature is a first step to getting Canada on track to achieve its 2030 emissions reduction target, and would secure important health and economic benefits nation-wide.
Conservation Council of New Brunswick Climate Action Plan Pre-Budget Submission
A path to a Low-Carbon Economy that creates jobs and sustains families and communities.
Available in English. 13 pages. Climate Change is urgent as is the Province’s need to create jobs and stimulate innovation. Read our climate action plan 2017 Pre-Budget Submission: A path to a Low-Carbon Economy that creates jobs and sustains families and communities, here.
Presentations to the NB Select Committee on Climate Change
Available in English. 34-49 pages. Read through our series of presentations to the NB Select Committee on Climate Change: Clean Energy Solutions, presented by Liane Thibodeau, President of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, our executive director, Lois Corbett, and Dr. Louise Comeau.
Conservation Council of New Brunswick releases policy options to spur climate change conversation
Available in English. 35 pages. A new report from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, released in July 2016, offers provincial politicians, environmental policy makers, and citizens a bold vision for New Brunswick. The three-part plan covers electricity, provincial investments, and government policies required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while keeping bills low and creating jobs for New Brunswickers.