Evidence of meeting #119 for Natural Resources in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was program.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
In another change of direction but still keeping with natural gas, we talk a lot in this committee about getting northern and remote communities off diesel. We've heard that natural gas might be part of the answer there, combined with.... I've talked to some engineers about combining and instead of having a single generator in the community, having natural gas/heat pumps at each building that generate electricity as well as heat.
Are those the kinds of things that the CGA is looking at?
Vice-President, Public and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
Sure. In terms of the remote northern community space, we've been working actively and demonstrating where communities like Inuvik, Whitehorse, Anahim Lake.... These are three communities in Canada that have now made a transition, in part, to liquefied natural gas as their principal form of power generation or as a backup.
There are programs now. Natural Resources Canada has a program. Infrastructure and Communities has a program. The Natural Resources program is limited. It doesn't allow for liquefied natural gas to comply with it. We've asked for that to be reviewed, to open that up to our fuel source as an opportunity for remote communities, but—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
I'm going to have to stop you there, unless you have a very brief conclusion.
Vice-President, Public and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
We'd recommend that the program that's currently available be revisited.
November 20th, 2018 / 12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to all of you for coming.
Because we have such a big forum here today, I want to do a couple of yes-or-no questions, and then I have quick questions for each of you.
To start off, Ms. Hayter, has the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers taken any formal position on whether or not anthropomorphic climate change is real and whether or not energy efficiency is a good way to help achieve goals in reducing carbon output?
President, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Yes. We do have a policy statement on climate change that's available from our website.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
That's wonderful.
Mr. Cheliak, does your organization have a similar position?
Vice-President, Public and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
We don't have a public position on climate change. We do believe that energy efficiency is a cost-effective measure to reduce emissions, though, and that we should strive toward more of it.
Liberal
Vice-President, Public and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
That's right.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
I'd like to ask your organization to come back to us with a position on that.
Vice-President, Public and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
Yes, we can take it back. We're a national voice with many members across many provinces, but that's something we can endeavour to do for you.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you.
Ms. Kalapos, does your organization have a position on climate change and whether or not energy efficiency is a way to achieve that?
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Wonderful. Thank you.
Ms. Bamford, for your organization, does it have a position on climate change and whether or not energy efficiency is a way to achieve it?
Vice-President of Automatic Coating Limited, Founder, Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Ontario
We—
Vice-President of Automatic Coating Limited, Founder, Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Ontario
We do not have a.... We believe efficiency will reduce our costs and will reduce greenhouse gases and—
Vice-President of Automatic Coating Limited, Founder, Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Ontario
We want to do our part, and we have done our part. In fact, manufacturing has driven greenhouse gases down 30.9%—
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
That's wonderful.
Ms. Bamford, the same as with Mr. Cheliak, can I ask your organization to come back with a position on whether or not they believe climate change is real?
To go back to you, Ms. Hayter and Mr. Boyce, it was really interesting to hear about the EQ score. Do you guys feel that a price on pollution would help drive or affect the use of something like an environmental quotient score for homes? How might a price on pollution drive efficiency in that regard?
President, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
I'm looking at Darryl, because he's the one who spoke on the BEQ activity a little bit, but let me answer your first question. Policy is a powerful tool. Regulation is a powerful tool to impact behaviour. If there is a motivation to not spend money, such as a tax, or some way of pricing a behaviour that you do not want to happen, then yes, people will be more motivated than they are now to look at efficiency.