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OFA: Rural Ontario needs Natural Gas now (2016)

Nov 07, 2016

By Larry Davis, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

The need for natural gas across rural Ontario is a top priority for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and rural municipalities. The provincial government’s September throne speech included a commitment to growth and infrastructure improvements. We are holding the government to that promise, and pressing the need for affordable energy to drive growth.
Rural Ontario is faced with soaring costs of energy with few alternatives. Energy is one of the largest inputs on farms, and a significant cost to rural residents and local business owners.  Energy costs are stifling growth.

OFA and our municipal partners – the Eastern and Western Wardens’ Caucuses are asking members, rural Ontario businesses and residents to demand access to affordable energy. Tell your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) that rural Ontario needs natural gas infrastructure to build stronger rural communities. Add your voice to the natural gas issue at actnow.ofa.on.ca by sending a letter to your MPP. The letter says you support the call for a public investment to provide natural gas access for rural Ontario.

Natural gas is the single most important investment that will give farms, businesses and rural residents the competitive edge to drive growth. It’s never been more important to send this message to Ontario’s government. If natural gas was available across the province, Ontario farmers, business owners and rural residents could save more than $1 billion in annual energy costs. That’s money that can be reinvested to create jobs and support a growing and vibrant rural economy.

OFA recently partnered with the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucusand Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucusto strengthen our collective call for a provincial government commitment to bring natural gas to rural Ontario. Together, we have launched ontarioruralgrowth.ca, a new site for Ontarians to join the call for the Ontario government to commit to affordable energy in rural Ontario. Visit ontarioruralgrowth.ca to learn more about why rural Ontario needs affordable natural gas infrastructure and how you can join the campaign.

Rural Ontario is alive with innovation, opportunities and economic activity – but it needs competitively priced inputs to continue to thrive and drive the economy. Through the new partnership with Ontario wardens, OFA is working with the provincial government, industry and gas companies to develop a fair and equitable way to install new natural gas pipeline across rural Ontario every year for the next 20 years. Rural Ontario can grow with natural gas.

Source: OFA