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Global News
6 days ago
- Global News
NDP, BC Greens to provide update on co-operation deal
Deputy B.C. Premier Niki Sharma and interim B.C. Green Leader Jeremy Valeriote are slated to provide an update on Tuesday on the agreement between their parties that cemented the NDP government's slim majority. Global News will stream the update live here at 2:15 p.m. PDT. The one-seat majority the NDP won in October's provincial election left the government vulnerable to MLA illness or absence, and would have required the traditionally neutral speaker of the legislature to cast frequent tie-breaking votes. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Instead, the two parties inked a deal that sees the Greens' two MLAs back the NDP on all confidence votes. In turn, the government has incorporated a variety of proposals from the BC Green platform into their agenda, and has committed to 'a relationship of trust based on good faith and no surprises.' Story continues below advertisement Those priorities include creating Community Health Centres in all B.C. ridings, reviewing the performance of the entire health care system, and reviewing the NDP's Clean BC climate program one year early. The NDP also promised to consult the Greens on U.S. tariff and trade actions related to 'shared initiatives' on housing, health care, transit, environment and social justice. The agreement says the parties' top shared priorities include the creation of 'tens of thousands' of affordable non-market housing units, as well as a commitment to expand key transit routes to maintain cheap and reliable public transportation.
CBC
7 days ago
- CBC
Opponents of new gas plant accuse N.B. Power of trying to evade regulatory scrutiny
Social Sharing Advocates are raising concerns that N.B. Power is looking to shortcut the regulatory process and avoid public scrutiny of its proposed 400-megawatt gas plant. "It's an attempt to evade the regulatory process and that's unacceptable," said Green Leader David Coon. N.B. Power is required to get approval from the Energy and Utilities Board for capital projects costing more than $50 million, but are arguing that a $70-million transmission facility required for a new natural gas generating facility in the province's southeast should be excepted from that scrutiny. Normally, that would trigger a review of the entire project. Coon said it's clear the utility doesn't believe the independent EUB would see the economic argument for it. "It says to me they don't have much faith in the Energy and Utilities Board deciding that these expenditures would be in the economic interests of New Brunswickers given the alternatives," he said. "The alternatives are there. I mean, places from the city of Saint John to the state of Vermont are using large battery storage systems on the scale of hundreds of megawatts in the case of Vermont to provide peak power." N.B. Power's application makes the case that the structure of the deal to build and operate the plant and necessary infrastructure doesn't count as a traditional capital investment. The new plant will be owned and operated by ProEnergy, which will sell the power generated back to N.B. Power. Because the plant is being built by and will be wholly owned by ProEnergy, the project doesn't require hearings and board approval. WATCH | 'They have a right to see what's going on,' says critic calling for review: Opponents of new gas plant say N.B. Power is trying to evade public scrutiny 7 minutes ago However, the project also includes a $70-million switchyard that ProEnergy has agreed to build. By law, only N.B. Power can own transmission assets in the province, so once completed, it will be sold to the utility for a dollar. N.B. Power argues that since they aren't building it, the transfer shouldn't count as a capital project and should therefore be shielded from board review and the public hearings that come with it — even though it will show up as a $70-million asset in its capital structure, with the depreciation and liabilities that come with it. A spokesperson for N.B. Power said in a statement that the application is intended to get the EUB's opinion on how to treat these types of agreements. "This structure differs from N.B. Power building and operating a long-term asset, where we would assume all operational risks, ultimately borne by the ratepayer. This is a new type of agreement for NB Power, and we felt it was important to seek the NBEUB's opinion," Elizabeth Fraser said in an email. Fraser added that while a full EUB review would take longer, they believe the plant could still be ready by 2028. N.B. Power said previously that the plant is necessary to address the growing population and demand for energy in the province and to provide a backup to intermittent renewable power. The utility is also looking to add hundreds of megawatts of wind energy to its generation mix in coming years and says the plant will be a crucial part of ensuring it has the energy it needs when demand dictates. According to environmental assessment filings, work to prepare the site is intended to start as early as next year, with the plant coming online in 2028. ProEnergy's lead for the project previously told CBC that it's expected the project could result in a 250,000-tonne reduction in N.B. Power's greenhouse gas emissions as the plant would displace more polluting sources of power. Reduction claims need to be tested Moe Qureshi, the director of climate change research and policy at the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, said those claims need to be tested in the EUB's public hearing process to determine if the plant, or the deal, is in the best interest of New Brunswickers. "The EUB is the way to review that information to check if this is really the best choice for New Brunswick and, without that oversight, I think we're going to get into more problems rather than less," he said. "What if this costs us more down the road than what we think now? And I think if the ratepayers have to pay for this, they have a right to see what's going on." The EUB filing also provides more details about how ProEnergy will be paid for the facility. N.B. Power will pay for the fuel used to power the plant and purchase the power generated. But they will also make monthly "capacity payments" based on how much power the utility purchased versus what the facility could produce. Fraser said payments will be based on a "'pay for performance' model, meaning we are only subject to payments when the facility meets a high level of availability." N.B. Power's EUB filing states they expect the capacity payments will eclipse $50 million over the 25-year lifespan of the agreement. A pre-hearing conference is scheduled for Aug. 12, with hearing dates set for the beginning of September.
Winnipeg Free Press
29-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Advocate hopes review of N.B. right-to-information law strengthens legislation
FREDERICTON – Experts on government transparency are hoping a review of New Brunswick's right-to-information law — ranked as one of the worst in Canada — makes it easier for the public to access documents and records. The Liberal government has asked for public submissions on its election promise to modernize legislation governing the public's right to obtain information from provincial departments and agencies. The Centre for Law and Democracy last year ranked New Brunswick's freedom-to-information system as one of the two worst in Canada, along with Alberta's. Residents who are denied access to a government document or record can appeal to New Brunswick's information commissioner. But Toby Mendel, director of the law and democracy centre, said in an interview Tuesday a key weakness is that the information commissioner can only recommend that a department or agency release information. Citizens are then forced into expensive court proceedings when governments don't comply. Mendel said he hopes New Brunswick will consider an appeal system like Newfoundland and Labrador's, where the onus is on departments and agencies to go to court if they wish to reject the commissioner's recommendations. 'In Newfoundland and Labrador, when the commissioner makes a decision, the public body either has to follow that decision or go to court to contest it … We believe it is a good model for small jurisdictions like New Brunswick,' Mendel said. The Newfoundland and Labrador model is mentioned in New Brunswick's discussion paper on its existing information legislation. The paper provides questions for the Liberal government to consider, including if some of the exemptions that departments can use to refuse document requests need to be dropped or revised. The law and democracy centre says exemptions are too numerous and too broad. 'We see a lot of exceptions (to releasing information) that are on the face of it illegitimate,' Mendel said. New Brunswick's Green Leader David Coon says the province's Right to Information Act has 'degenerated' over the past 15 years. One of the more problematic changes to the law, Coon said, is the restriction that government records that include 'advice' to a minister can no longer be requested by the public. For example, he said, the work that consultants do for government, or reports to departments, can be interpreted as 'advice' to a minister. That change, he said, 'has been used extensively to keep lots of documents … a lot of reports, secret.' Nicole O'Byrne, an associate professor at University of New Brunswick's faculty of law, called the existing access to information system in New Brunswick 'slow and cumbersome,' adding that it can require months to appeal a decision. Government departments and agencies are often swamped by broad requests for information, which can take long to process, she added. She also suggested that departments and agencies be proactive and release more information without the need for the public to make formal requests to access it. O'Byrne commended the provincial government for its review. 'Citizens have every right to demand accountability from their elected representatives. This is a fundamental cornerstone of our democracy.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025. — By Michael Tutton in Halifax and Hina Alam in Fredericton.
