FREDERICTION (CNB) – New Brunswickers are invited to participate in a citizen engagement process focused on developing a 10-year provincial energy plan. Energy commission co-chairs Jeannot Volpé and William Thompson launched the process today.
"We have been asked to recommend a strategy to work toward stability, predictability and affordability in our energy sector," said Thompson. "We need input from all New Brunswickers on how to balance the cost of energy with environmental and job creation concerns. People need to know their opinion matters and that we are listening."
The provincial government created the New Brunswick Energy Commission in October with a mandate to conduct a broad public consultation and report to government on a long-term energy plan by May 2011.
Starting Feb. 1, the commission will travel to nine municipalities. The commission will receive presentations, host open houses and facilitate public dialogue sessions designed to seek input from residents on the future energy direction of the province.
New Brunswickers can also contribute ideas and opinions through a series of online questionnaires which will be posted to the energy commission's website. Written submissions to the commission co-chairs will also be accepted by fax, 506-444-5028, or by e-mail, [email protected].
To help inform public debate on the energy issues, the commission has produced a Consumer Backgrounder on Energy, available on the commission website.
"We want to ensure New Brunswickers are engaged, involved and informed about the challenges and opportunities facing our energy sector," said Volpé. "Since October, we have heard from about 40 stakeholder groups including energy companies, environmental groups, businesses which consume energy, and other interested parties, and now we need to hear from the public. It is essential that New Brunswickers become involved in this process."
More information on the New Brunswick Energy Commission and its mandate is available online.
Each session will follow the same format:
● 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Presentations by interested groups and individuals
○ Open to the public and media
○ 10-minute spots for each presentation to be booked in advance with the commission, by calling 506-444-5542 or e-mailing [email protected]
● 4 p.m. -6 p.m. Public open house on energy in New Brunswick
○ drop-in format
○ technical staff on site to answer questions
● 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Public dialogue sessions
○ Can accommodate up to 200 people, depending upon the location.
Dates and locations of the public sessions are below:
Tuesday, Feb. 1
Club d'âge d'or, 34, 37th Ave., Edmundston
Wednesday, Feb. 2
Campbellton Civic Centre, 44 Salmon Blvd., Campbellton
Thursday, Feb. 3
Danny's Inn, 1223 Principale St. (Route 134), Beresford
Monday, Feb. 7
Complexe Les Deux Rivières, 100 Deux Rivières St., Tracadie-Sheila
Tuesday, Feb. 8
Miramichi Kinsmen Centre, 100 Newcastle Blvd., Miramichi
Thursday, Feb. 10
Moncton Lion's Club, 473 St. George St., Moncton
Tuesday, Feb. 15
Knights of Columbus Hall, 143 Charles St., Woodstock
Wednesday, Feb. 16
Killarney Lake Lodge, 1605 St. Mary's St., Fredericton
Thursday, Feb. 17
Fort Howe Hotel, 10 Portland St., Saint John
LINK:
● New Brunswick Energy Commission: www.gnb.ca/energycommission
24-01-11
