Blaine Higgs wants to revisit the shale gas moratorium

Premier Blaine Higgs said Wednesday that he does not rule out lifting the shale gas moratorium.

The premier of New Brunswick has long said that he supports the development of the gas industry in the province.

Photo: Radio-Canada

We have to have the consultations, meet with the First Nations and the communities. We have to look at it realistically according to new criteriahe said in a press scrum.

There has been a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing since December 2014 in New Brunswick, after riots caused by exploration companies, notably in Kent County.

A major popular mobilization in 2013 hampered gas exploration in New Brunswick. The moratorium on hydraulic fracturing was imposed the following year.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Michèle Brideau

But according to Blaine Higgs, conditions have changed and it’s time to revisit the moratorium. Among other things, he cites the price of natural gas which has exploded (New window) and national and international energy security needs.

We could be world leadersbelieves the Prime Minister, who already mentioned in 2018 his desire to lift the moratorium.

Advances for the LNG terminal

In addition to the resumption of exploration and exploitation of shale gas, Blaine Higgs, a former executive at Irving Oil, welcomes the progress of discussions between the federal government and the Spanish Repsol, which wishes to advance the liquefied natural gas terminal project in Saint-Jean.

The former Canaport LNG terminal in Saint John, New Brunswick was bought by the Spanish company Repsol (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada

Reuters reported last week that Ottawa is in talks with companies to advance liquefied natural gas projects on the east coast.

Blaine Higgs says he too has had conversations with the company and finds all of this to be very encouraging.

Prime Minister says the ball is now in the federal government’s court, but he thinks the approval of energy projects, like the Bay du Nord project in Newfoundland and Labrador, shows that Justin Trudeau’s government understands the urgency of finding solutions to the energy crisis.

This crisis will continue unless we find a way to harness the resources that are available at home, for ourselves and for our NATO allies.thinks Blaine Higgs.

The opposition rises

Blaine Higgs’ remarks startled the opposition.

Kevin Arseneau, MP for Kent North, where many protests took place in 2014, is disappointed.

Green MP for Kent North Kevin Arseneau thinks the province needs to explore green energy development before turning to shale gas development.

Photo: Radio-Canada

It’s environmental denial in the face of the climate crisis and ultimately what we see is probably a flippant ego in the face of communities who have already made their disagreement clear. he expressed at the microphone of the show La matinale on Thursday.

Interim Liberal Leader Roger Melanson thinks the Prime Minister needs to be clearer about his intentions on the moratorium.

There are clearly conditions before lifting the moratorium and here he is using the context of a war in Ukraine to revive the development of shale gas in New Brunswicksaid Mr. Melanson.

Two years after the imposition of a moratorium, it had been extended after the publication of a report which named what would be the conditions for a possible lifting. Among these, the government should obtain social acceptance, carry out health and environmental studies, consult with First Nations and create an appropriate royalty structure.