Today the Utility and Review Board will investigate whether Heritage Gas Limited’s marketing strategy to distribute natural gas is meeting its obligations for the franchise it was awarded in 2003. That’s a complicated way to say the board is investigating a complaint by two residents, Peter Allen and Balwantray Chauhan, that Heritage Gas is not doing enough to provide service to residential customers.
I’m intervening on behalf of the Liberal caucus. Why? Because we want to ensure that Nova Scotians are the primary beneficiaries of our natural resources. After all why shouldn’t we be? These resources don’t belong to any company. They belong to Nova Scotians. All Nova Scotians.
When Heritage Gas was awarded the right to distribute natural gas in much of Nova Scotia back in 2003 they promised a lot in terms of benefits to Nova Scotians. Today, interveners like me will explore whether those promises have been realized.
While natural gas has environmental benefits over some other fuels, I personally view natural gas as a transitional fuel in the environmental debate. So today is not about which fuel is better environmentally. Today is about choice. Nova Scotians were promised choice in energy supply, yet for many that hasn’t been realized. We all deserve to know why.
Peter Allen and Balwantray Chauhan are two residents who were upset about an issue and took action. They may not have realized the interest they would generate in this issue from across the province. But today, the question they raised will take center stage.
