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(Montreal) The municipality of Prevost in the Laurentian region has become the first city in Quebec to ban the installation of gas systems in new residences, which will include renewable natural gas (RNG).
In order to reduce greenhouse gases, the Municipality of Prevost will ban the use of propane and natural gas in future residential and institutional buildings in the municipality, effective December 31, 2023.
“We are proud to be the first city in Quebec to implement such regulations that aim above all to achieve the government’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions attributable to building heating by 50% by 2030,” announced Paul Germain, Mayor of Prevost. .
Therefore, citizens will not have the right to install new gas-powered appliances.
However, gas stoves and outdoor cooking appliances (BBQs) are not covered by this new regulation.
Facilities existing as of December 31, 2023 will also benefit from an acquired right and can be maintained and repaired without any restrictions.
“Initially, there were some concerns among residents […]“But it is amazing how, in less than six months, we have been able to educate our employees about the impacts of natural gas on greenhouse gas emissions,” Mayor German explained.
The construction sector (residential, commercial and institutional) is responsible for approximately 10% of Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the third highest sector in terms of emissions.
“We are the first in Quebec, but we just want there to be others,” the city’s mayor said, adding that the Quebec government’s goal of halving buildings’ greenhouse gases before 2030 “is not going to happen on its own.”
The “Let’s Get the Gas Out!” coalition , made up of environmental, union and citizen organizations, congratulated the city of Prevost on its “leadership and commitment” to the energy transition.
“This regulation is tangible evidence that decarbonizing buildings is possible when local authorities follow best practices,” the coalition wrote in a statement.
In recent years, several municipalities have announced their intention to ban the use of gas in new buildings. For example, in 2022, Mayor Valery Plante announced that all buildings in Montreal must run exclusively on fully renewable energies by 2040, and that new construction must be “zero emissions” starting in 2025.
The regulation will ban Énergir’s RNG
The new regulations should also ban new connections to renewable natural gas (RNG) from Énergir, Quebec’s main natural gas distributor.
“There is between zero and 2 percent CNG in the gas that Energear distributes,” said Mayor Paul German, who has difficulty understanding how to justify its use.
The Énergir network distributes 97% of the natural gas consumed in Quebec and provides energy to just over 205,000 customers.
According to the company’s website, 80% of its natural gas comes from Alberta and British Columbia and 20% from the United States.
Renewable natural gas (RNG) currently represents no more or less than 1% of Energear’s grid volume.
The company plans to reach 5% renewable natural gas in its distribution volumes in 2025 and 10% in 2030.
In an email sent to The Canadian Press, Energear noted that it “will take time to analyze the regulation to see its implications and clarify some of the language.”
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