News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Heather Black has been appointed as the province’s new Public Intervener for the Energy Sector, effective Sept. 2.

The appointment follows government’s commitment under The New Brunswick Energy Blueprint to establish and appoint a full-time public energy advocate to replace the system of ad hoc appointments of public interveners.

“Today, we welcome Heather in her new role as New Brunswick’s Public Intervener for the Energy Sector,” said Attorney General Hugh Flemming. “She is an accomplished lawyer with extensive litigation experience in dealing with complex legal files, which will help ensure that the public’s interest is represented in a just and reasonable manner in all energy regulatory matters in the province.”

The newly-created Office of the Public Energy Advocate’s mandate is to represent the public interest in energy matters, not the interests of any particular customer class, interest group or provincial government department.

The costs associated with this position will be collected from the regulated utilities through the board in much the same manner as were the costs of the privately appointed interveners in the past.

Black is a partner with the law firm McInnes Cooper and obtained her bachelor of business administration and bachelor of laws from the University of New Brunswick. She has significant knowledge of the industry having worked on various energy-related files during her career. Black is also on the executive committee and board of directors of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce as well as a board member for the Legal Aid Services Commission.