Holt government defends N.B. Power involvement in selecting group to review N.B. Power
Utility president and board chair played role in the 'identification and selection' of candidates
Internal government records show senior N.B. Power officials were given a say in selecting the three-person committee set up to advise the New Brunswick government on what to do about the utility.
The selection process resulted in at least two reviewers with strong connections to N.B. Power being chosen, but New Brunswick Finance and Energy Minister René Legacy says the utility has not been unduly influencing the review exercise by its sometimes behind-the-scenes involvement.
"N.B. Power representatives provide valuable perspective but do not have veto power over any decision regarding the review," Legacy said in a statement issued to CBC News.
A request to interview the minister about the review and N.B. Power's role in choosing those conducting it was not granted.
N.B. Power had hand in picking who would independently review its operationsN.B. Power's involvement in the selection process surfaced in documents sent to New Brunswick's opposition Progressive Conservative Party following a freedom of information request.
The documents have been reviewed by CBC News.
PC Kris Austin, the opposition energy critic, said allowing the utility a say in who was picked to evaluate the utility undermines the credibility of the exercise.
"It absolutely torpedoes the thought of an independent outside committee," Austin said in an interview. "I think that kind of blows all that out of the water."
In mid-April, Legacy and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt jointly announced what they called a "comprehensive review" of N.B. Power that would be at arms length from the company.
Holt said major changes were needed at the utility because of rapidly rising power rates and bulging debt levels and she wanted a fresh look by outside experts who could evaluate what is wrong and propose solutions.
"Transformative change is required," Holt said. "Everything is on the table because the status quo is no longer an option."
Holt also made the point that the review process needed to be "independent and transparent" to earn public trust.
A news release issued at the time said, "three people independent from N.B. Power" would be picked to lead the review but didn't detail how they would be chosen.
Documents since released by the province show that selecting the three people was delegated to a "steering committee" that was empowered to provide "strategic direction" to the project
Five of the seven members of the steering committee represent the province, including Legacy, deputy energy minister Jeff Hoyt, the clerk of the executive council, Judy Wagner, and two senior officials from Susan Holt's office — chief of staff Katie Davey and director of communications Brit Mockler.
The remaining two members are N.B. Power president Lori Clark and N.B. Power chair Andrew MacGillivray.
In the days after the review was announced the steering committee assembled to choose the three people who would run it.
From a number of candidates whose names are redacted in the documents, the committee settled on former N.B. Power board member Anne Bertrand, utility financial expert Michael Bernstein and former Ontario utility and nuclear executive Duncan Hawthorne.
Bertrand, a former New Brunswick Information and Privacy Commissioner, was a member of N.B. Power's board of directors between 2018 and 2024, serving alongside MacGillivray.
According to various N.B. Power annual reports, Bertrand sat on a number of board committees with the now chair and was a member of the board in 2023 when it named Lori Clark to become N.B. Power president
Bernstein was also a familiar figure to the utility.
Although not detailed in the online biography the province initially released about him, Bernstein was involved as a consultant in the effort to sell N.B. Power to Hydro Quebec in 2009.
More recently, he had been on a financial retainer to N.B. Power to advise it on what might be done with the troubled Point Lepreau nuclear generating station and the structurally challenged Mactaquac hydroelectric dam.
In an interview, Bernstein said he terminated his financial relationship with N.B. Power in the spring before he formally signed on to help conduct the review of N.B. Power.
"Once it was in early May, saying, 'Look, we'd like to move forward with you,' then I had the conversation with the company about terminating my agreement," Bernstein said.
In his statement to CBC News, Legacy acknowledged both Lori Clark and Andrew MacGillivray were involved in "the identification and selection" of Bertrand, Bernstein and Hawthorne to lead the review but insisted nothing the steering committee has done or will do affects the group's ability to evaluate N.B. Power "independently and objectively."
He also said Bernstein's biography on the N.B. Power review website is being updated to include information about his past involvement with the utility "to ensure full transparency."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
2026/27 GENERAL RATE APPLICATION
NOTICE
NB Power has applied to the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board seeking an order:
a) approving, for the 2026/27 fiscal year, a four and three quarters per cent (4.75%)
average increase in rates across all customer classes, based on NB Power’s revenue
requirements of $2,740.3 million; and
b) approving the schedule of rates for the 2026/27 fiscal year, which reflects a four
and three quarters per cent (4.75%) average increase across all customer classes,
to be effective April 1, 2026.
c) approving the prices proposed for specific Customer Energy Solutions Portfolio
products, as described in section 10.3 of the supporting evidence;
d) approving the inclusion of the Net-Zero Rate in the Customer Energy Solutions
Portfolio and setting a Net-Zero Rate to be charged for the 2026/27 fiscal year, as
outlined in Section 10.4 of the supporting evidence;
e) approving new rates for Level 2, Level 3 50kW and Level 3 100kW EV charging for
the 2026/27 fiscal year, as outlined in Section 10.5 of the supporting evidence;
f) approving the creation of a new rate class consisting of the owners of Public EV
Charging Sites, rate design and rates for such class for the 2026/27 fiscal year, as
outlined in Section 10.6 of the supporting evidence;
g) approving the rate for the wind balancing charge for the 2026/27 fiscal year, as
outlined in section 10.7 of the supporting evidence;
h) approving an AMI Opt Out fee to recover the cost to read non-standard meters
and AMI meters with the communications turned off post AMI deployment, as
outlined in Section 10.8 of the supporting evidence;
new rates for the adders and corresponding changes to the RSP manual, all as
outlined in Section 10.9 of the supporting evidence;
j) approving modifications to minimum filing requirements as outlined in Appendix
E – Modifications to the Minimum Filing Requirements, of the supporting
evidence;
k) providing directions with respect to the schedule for the full hearing of this
Application, and any other preliminary or procedural matters; and
l) such other Orders and/or directions with respect to any other matters as the Board
sees fit.
NB Power’s application and the supporting evidence may be viewed on the Board’s
website at www.nbeub.ca under Matter EL-003-2025.
Parties who wish to intervene in this matter should visit the Board’s website at www.nbeub.ca,
click on the “Rules of Procedure” tab, and then select “Procedural Forms-Utility Matters.” There,
parties will find an “Intervener Request” form. This form, specifying Matter EL-003-2025, should
be completed and filed with the Board by email to general@nbeub.ca no later than 4:00 p.m.
Monday, October 20, 2025. Parties are to indicate the official language in which they wish to be
heard.
The Board will hold a Pre-Hearing Conference via Zoom videoconference on Wednesday,
October 22, 2025, beginning at 9:30 a.m. to consider requests for intervener status and
determine the filing and hearing schedule to be followed. Interested parties wishing to intervene
may attend at that time to make representations about the procedure and schedule to be
followed. A link to attend the Pre-Hearing Conference will be provided to each party who has
filed an Intervener Request form with the Board. The Pre-Hearing Conference will also be
broadcast live to the general public on the Board’s YouTube channel at
http://www.youtube.com/@
The Board advises that it may require interveners in similar circumstances with similar interests
who wish to address similar issues to intervene as a single party with a single opportunity to
examine witnesses and/or make submissions.
The Board also advises that it will receive written letters of comment from any NB Power
ratepayer at general@nbeub.ca and the hearing schedule for the Board’s consideration of NB
Power’s application to be set at the Pre-Hearing Conference will include an informal public
session where members of the general public can make submissions to the Board on NB Power’s
application.
New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board
P.O. Box 5001
Brunswick House
44 Chipman Hill, Suite 800
Saint John, NB E2L 4Y9
Telephone: (506) 658-2504
Toll Free: 1-866-766-2782
Fax: (506) 643-7300
E-Mail: general@nbeub.ca
Website: www.nbeub.ca
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Subject: Fwd: Court of Appeal File No. 68-23-CA - Judicial Review of Board Decision in Matter 541
To: Jacques.Poitras <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>, John Furey <JohnFurey@fureylegal.com>, Robert. Jones <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, Susan.Holt <Susan.Holt@gnb.ca>, robert.mckee <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, robert.gauvin <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, briangallant10 <briangallant10@gmail.com>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, michelle.conroy <michelle.conroy@gnb.ca>, rob.moore <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, John.Williamson <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, Clark, Lori <lclark@nbpower.com>
Cc: <jdoughart@gmail.com>, Kathleen <Kathleen.Mitchell@nbeub.ca>, Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com <Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com>, Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>, Dave <Dave.Young@nbeub.ca>, Michael <Michael.Dickie@nbeub.ca>, Veronique Otis <Veronique.Otis@nbeub.ca>, Susan <Susan.Colwell@nbeub.ca>, Chiasson, Alain (OAG/CPG) <Alain.Chiasson2@gnb.ca>, Len <len.hoyt@mcinnescooper.com>, rburgoyne@coxandpalmer.com <rburgoyne@coxandpalmer.com>, louis-philippe.gauthier@cfib.ca <louis-philippe.gauthier@cfib.ca>, frederic.gionet@cfib.ca <frederic.gionet@cfib.ca>, Sollows, David (ERD/DER) <david.sollows@gnb.ca>, Brandy Gellner <Brandy.Gellner@libertyutilities.com>, Gilles <Gilles.volpe@libertyutilities.com>, David <dave.lavigne@libertyutilities.com>, Laura <LGordon@nbpower.com>, Stephen <SWaycott@nbpower.com>
N.B. Power seeking across-the-board rate hike of 4.75 per cent in 2026
Increase would cost average home customer another $130 on power bills next year
N.B. Power is asking for regulatory approval for a 4.75 per cent rate increase to electricity bills next April, a substantial hike but one that would be lower than three years of even larger increases.
The new rate increase, if approved by the Energy and Utilities Board, will add another $130 to the average residential power bill in 2026-2027, based on figures the utility released Wednesday.
Even with that hike, CEO Lori Clark said the Crown utility's $5.7-billion debt will continue to increase in the coming years as it embarks on a series of costly renovations of its major generating stations.
"We're always balancing a multitude of different things in the utility and the impact of rates on customers and affordability is always something that's front of mind for us," she said.
"We also have to look at ensuring the utility is financially stable now and into the future."
N.B. Power wants to raise rates 4.75 per centOn top of the major increases in the last two years was an additional three per cent charge the utility applied to cover the cost of "variances" — cost overruns that are billed to customers separately to cover unexpected spending in previous years.
That additional three per cent is built into the 2026 application again, and the 4.75 per cent increase is on top of that, officials said Wednesday.
This rate increase was one that we thought was appropriate for New Brunswick given the review that was underway... We do know the status quo is not an option, and we do see rate increases in the future.
— N.B. Power CEO Lori Clark
In March, Premier Susan Holt signalled her displeasure with rate increases that were pinching New Brunswickers even after her government's decision to give customers rebates equal to the provincial sales tax on their bills.
"It needs to change," Holt said in the legislature March 26. "The rates can't keep going like they're going now, and the status quo cannot continue."
Clark did not directly answer a question about whether she felt political pressure to keep a lid on this year's rate increase.
She said the utility based its decision in part on the fact that the utility's future is in question due to a review ordered by Holt that is expected to result in recommendations early next year.
"This rate increase was one that we thought was appropriate for New Brunswick given the review that was underway," Clark said.
"We do know the status quo is not an option, and we do see rate increases in the future. So this review will help us determine whether or not the rate increases are appropriate and other options that there may be for helping New Brunswickers as we move forward."
The tentative plan is to increase rates by 6.5 per cent in April 2027 and by 6.5 per cent again in April 2028.
Average customer paying 30% more than in 2022
The utility had been facing a 2027 target to reduce its debt to 80 per cent of the total value of its assets, which compelled it to seek large increases. But in 2023 the Blaine Higgs government extended that deadline to 2029, and earlier this year the Liberals eliminated it altogether.
How electricity rates have become a symbol of New Brunswick’s affordability problemsClark attributed $1.5 billion of N.B. Power's current $5.7 billion debt to a decade of lower-than-required rate hikes between 2011 and 2022, some the result of government-imposed limits.
In a statement, Energy Minister René Legacy did not comment on the amount of the rate increase, calling the utility's EUB application "a normal process" and a way for customers, industry and others to have a say.
"Government will be following the proceedings as they unfold over the months ahead," he said.
The increases this year and last year, plus an earlier increase in 2023, led to customers paying about 30 per cent more now than they were in 2022.
The average residential customer is paying $645 per year more this year than three years ago, a reality that has fuelled public anger at a time when other basic necessities like food and housing have been hit by inflation.
A Moncton woman collected 45 power bills to investigate higher rates. Here’s what she found.The 4.75 rate increase is across the board, meaning the utility wants the same hike applied to all rate categories, from residential to industrial customers.
Fee proposed for those who refuse smart meters
Earlier this year, J.D. Irving Ltd. announced it was permanently closing down half of its production at Irving Paper in Saint John and eliminating 140 positions because of what it considered high power rates.
The three-year contract will cost $20 million a year.
The utility will also ask the EUB to approve a $4.65 opt-out fee for customers who refuse to have a smart meter installed at their homes to measure their electricity consumption.
Earlier this year, many New Brunswickers theorized that the meters were responsible for apparent spikes in their bills, which N.B. Power said were the result of rate increases, longer billing periods and colder weather than the previous year.
The utility had estimated that two per cent of customers would opt out of the smart meters, but in fact four per cent have opted out.
The EUB application also seeks a change to the rates charged to customers who install public electric-vehicle chargers, to lower their cost.
It asks as well for a change to its "wind balancing charge" to pass on more of the cost of providing back-up baseload power to wind generation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From: NB Power <noreply-nepasrepondre@
Date: Wed, Oct 1, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Subject: General Rate Application 2026/27
To: DAVID AMOS <DAVID.RAYMOND.AMOS333@gmail.
|
|
|
|
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 8:59 PM
Subject: Fwd: Court of Appeal File No. 68-23-CA - Judicial Review of Board Decision in Matter 541
To: <jdoughart@gmail.com>, Mitchell, Kathleen <Kathleen.Mitchell@nbeub.ca>, Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com <Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com
Cc: Clark, Lori <lclark@nbpower.com>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 8:29 PM
Subject: Fwd: Court of Appeal File No. 68-23-CA - Judicial Review of Board Decision in Matter 541
To: Susan.Holt <Susan.Holt@gnb.ca>, robert.mckee <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, hugh.flemming <hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>, <Steve.Outhouse@gnb.ca>, blaine.higgs <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, Ross.Wetmore <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, rob.moore <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, John.Williamson <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, jake.stewart <jake.stewart@parl.gc.ca>, andrea.anderson-mason <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>
Cc: Robert. Jones <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, John Furey <JohnFurey@fureylegal.com>, Glenn Zacher (gzacher@stikeman.com) <gzacher@stikeman.com>
N.B. Power executives deny exaggerating nuclear troubles to justify large rate hike
Utility faces pointed questions from about whether its expenses are inflated
N.B.
Power president Lori Clark and chief financial officer Darren Murphy
exit the utility's rate hearing during a break. The two executives said
estimates of expected poor performance at the Point Lepreau nuclear
station this year and next year are realistic given its recent history. (Pat Richard/CBC)N.B. Power executives faced pointed questions early at a New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board hearing that is reviewing plans to raise electricity rates 20 per cent over the next two years, nearly half of which is already being collected from customers.
N.B. Power president Lori Clark and chief financial officer Darren Murphy both denied a suggestion from the forestry company J.D. Irving Ltd., barely an hour into the 16-day hearing, that the utility is exaggerating how poor performance at the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station is likely to be this year, and next year, to justify raising rates more than necessary.
"The performance metrics that N.B. Power is forecasting for Point Lepreau are not in fact improvements. It's a forecast of worse performance," said Glenn Zacher, a Toronto-based energy lawyer representing JDI at the hearing.
Zacher noted that N.B. Power figures show Lepreau suffered breakdowns averaging just over 19 days per year over a five-year period, ending in 2022.
Point
Lepreau has operated below expectations since emerging from a 4½-year
refurbishment in 2012. Estimates by N.B. Power that performance at the
plant will worsen this year and next are being challenged at its rate
hearing. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
That was third worst among 38 peer reactors, and Zacher wanted to know why N.B. Power is now budgeting for 29 days of breakdowns at Lepreau, per year, over the next few years.
That "no doubt puts the station dead last" among all of its peers, said Zacher. He suggested that, combined with additional downtime being set aside for planned maintenance outages, inflates the plant's likely costs and exaggerates the utility's expenses by more than $20 million, both this year and next.
With more optimistic Lepreau budgeting, he suggested that rate increases as high as 9.8 per cent per year over the next two years facing some customers might have been between one and two percentage points lower.
"You're taking a straight historical average of admittedly bad performance and using that to forecast future performance," said Zacher.
Toronto
lawyer Glenn Zacher has been hired by J.D. Irving Ltd. to represent it
at N.B. Power's rate hearing. He asked a series of pointed questions
about whether N.B. Power has been inflating expected costs related to
the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station this year and next year. (Stikeman Elliott LLP)
Murphy said the higher estimate for lost production at Lepreau is no budgeting gimmick but an attempt to be more realistic about the plant's near-term prospects, given its performance to date.
"Although these are increases in forecasted costs, they are actually representative of historical actual costs," said Murphy.
"That's what we've attempted to do in this application — better match up what our experience has been in the last number of years with expected performance over the next few years."
Clark told Zacher that non-nuclear equipment at Lepreau, some of it more than 40 years old, was not upgraded at the time the reactor was refurbished and has been causing most of the problems.
Energy
and Utilities Board member Christopher Stewart is presiding over the
N.B. Power rate hearing. It is expected to last 16 days spread out over
the next two months. (Pat Richard/CBC)
She said there are plans underway to improve Lepreau's performance in relation to its peers but that will take time and money before it shows itself.
"What we're dealing with now is aging equipment in the station," said Clark.
"Significant investment is required in Lepreau."
N.B. Power has applied to raise its rates an average of 9.25 per cent this year and next year, including a pair of 9.8 per cent increases on residential and large industrial customers.
J.D.
Irving Ltd. is N.B. Power's largest private-sector customer. It is
fighting a request by the utility to raise rates an average of 9.25 per
cent this year and next year, including 9.8 per cent on residential and
large industrial customers. (Robert Jones/CBC)
N.B. Power was given permission by the utilities board to begin charging the first increase on April 1 but will have to rebate a portion of what it has collected, if the amount is found to be too high.
Hearings are expected to take 16 sitting days but are spread over the next two months.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reporter
Robert Jones has been a reporter and producer with CBC New Brunswick since 1990. His investigative reports on petroleum pricing in New Brunswick won several regional and national awards and led to the adoption of price regulation in 2006.
ALL NB and Canadian sawmills benefited from the high prices.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Fri, Jul 7, 2023 at 11:34 AM
Subject: Fwd: Court of Appeal File No. 68-23-CA - Judicial Review of Board Decision in Matter 541
To: Ross.Wetmore <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, rob.moore <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, John.Williamson <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, jake.stewart <jake.stewart@parl.gc.ca>, andrea.anderson-mason <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>
Cc: Robert. Jones <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John Furey <JohnFurey@fureylegal.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2023 16:03:36 +0000
Subject: Court of Appeal File No. 68-23-CA - Judicial Review of Board
Decision in Matter 541
To: "Mitchell, Kathleen" <Kathleen.Mitchell@nbeub.ca>,
"Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com
Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>, "Young, Dave"
<Dave.Young@nbeub.ca>, "Michael.Dickie@nbeub.ca"
<Michael.Dickie@nbeub.ca>, Veronique Otis <Veronique.Otis@nbeub.ca>,
"Colwell, Susan" <Susan.Colwell@nbeub.ca>, "Chiasson, Alain (OAG/CPG)"
<Alain.Chiasson2@gnb.ca>, "Hoyt, Len" <len.hoyt@mcinnescooper.com>,
"Glenn Zacher (gzacher@stikeman.com)" <GZacher@stikeman.com>,
"rburgoyne@coxandpalmer.com" <rburgoyne@coxandpalmer.com>,
"louis-philippe.gauthier@cfib.
"frederic.gionet@cfib.ca" <frederic.gionet@cfib.ca>,
"David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.
"daly@nbnet.nb.ca" <daly@nbnet.nb.ca>, "david.sollows@gnb.ca"
<david.sollows@gnb.ca>, "Brandy.Gellner@
<Brandy.Gellner@
"Gilles.volpe@
<Gilles.volpe@
"dave.lavigne@
<dave.lavigne@
Cc: "Waycott, Stephen" <SWaycott@nbpower.com>, "Gordon, Laura"
<LGordon@nbpower.com>
Dear Ms. Mitchell, Counsel and Registered Parties,
Please find attached the following documentation:
1. Court Stamped copy of a Notice of Application dated July 4, 2023
(issued by the Registrar of the Court of Appeal on July 5, 2023);
2. Court Stamped copy of the Affidavit of Darren Murphy dated July 4, 2023;
3. Copy of correspondence dated July 5, 2023 from the Deputy
Registrar of the Court of Appeal confirming the hearing date of
October 19, 2023 and the dates for filing of further documentation;
and
4. An Acknowledgement of Receipt (in both Word and pdf format).
I am providing this documentation to the Board, Board staff, counsel
for those parties who had retained counsel, and those parties who have
not previously retained counsel. I recognise that counsel for J.D.
Irving Ltd. And Utilities Municipal have changed since the hearing of
this matter, and will reach out to those counsel directly.
May I ask that each registered party execute and return to me the
Acknowledgement of Receipt that has been enclosed. The form has been
adapted to permit execution by counsel, an authorized representative,
or the party themselves where they are individuals who have intervened
without counsel.
NB Power has not automatically added Registered Interveners in Matter
541 as parties to this Application. The practice in these matters is
not to do so, and to require such interested persons to apply to the
Court of Appeal for status as an intervener in this proceeding. NB
Power will not object to any such motion for status which is brought
to the Court.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Regards,
John
John G. Furey
Barrister & Solicitor
John G. Furey Professional Corporation
265 Berkley Drive
New Maryland, NB
E3C 1B9
Email: JohnFurey@fureylegal.com<
Phone: 506-444-1328
Fax: 506-300-2076
Why is it that I am not surprised?
On 7/12/23, daly@nbnet.nb.ca <daly@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:
> Mr John Furey: This will acknowledge receipt of the Notice to the Court of
> Appeal with respect to Matter 541. I will not be applying for status at
> this proceeding .
>
> Regards: Gerard Daly
>
>
>
> From: John Furey <JohnFurey@fureylegal.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 5, 2023 1:04 PM
> To: 'Mitchell, Kathleen' <Kathleen.Mitchell@nbeub.ca>;
> Aherrington@lawsoncreamer.com; Melissa Curran <Melissa.Curran@nbeub.ca>;
> 'Young, Dave' <Dave.Young@nbeub.ca>; Michael.Dickie@nbeub.ca; 'Veronique
> Otis' <Veronique.Otis@nbeub.ca>; Colwell, Susan <Susan.Colwell@nbeub.ca>;
> Chiasson, Alain (OAG/CPG) <Alain.Chiasson2@gnb.ca>; Hoyt, Len
> <len.hoyt@mcinnescooper.com>; Glenn Zacher (gzacher@stikeman.com)
> <GZacher@stikeman.com>; rburgoyne@coxandpalmer.com;
> louis-philippe.gauthier@cfib.ca; frederic.gionet@cfib.ca;
> David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.com; daly@nbnet.nb.ca; david.sollows@gnb.ca;
> Brandy.Gellner@libertyutilities.com; Gilles.volpe@libertyutilities. com;
> dave.lavigne@libertyutilities.com
> Cc: Waycott, Stephen <SWaycott@nbpower.com>; Gordon, Laura
> <LGordon@nbpower.com>
> Subject: Court of Appeal File No. 68-23-CA - Judicial Review of Board
> Decision in Matter 541
>
>
>
> Dear Ms. Mitchell, Counsel and Registered Parties,
>
>
>
> Please find attached the following documentation:
>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Subject: Fwd: Just a Hello What is your number?
To: <cao@valleywaters.ca>, <rmcknight@valleywaters.ca>, <cmcdonald@valleywaters.ca>
Cc: <Nominations.abc-occ@gnb.ca>, <Aaron.Kennedy@gnb.ca>, <JOHN.HERRON@gnb.ca>, Clark, Lori <lclark@nbpower.com>
Monday, 8 September 2025
Review will look at N.B. Power's 'capacity to execute' on major projects
Minimal public interest in comprehensive N.B. Power review has 'disappointed' so far
Panel studying what to do about debt-laden utility underwhelmed by public interest in its work
Public interest in a review of N.B. Power ordered by the New Brunswick government has been underwhelming so far, according to a key member of the independent group running the initiative.
Duncan Hawthorne is a former president of Bruce Power in Ontario and at a public meeting in Saint John on Thursday said participation in the group's online attempts to reach the public has been weak.
"I have been disappointed at the number of people that have joined our webinars because you don't even have to leave your own home to do that," Hawthorne said.
"I have run them in other places and there are hundreds of people. We've done them here, and there aren't so many people calling in."
The review has now moved to the in-person phase of its consultations, and Hawthorne said he wants to see more interest from people, given the significant issues that are being weighed, including whether N.B. Power should remain as a publicly owned utility.
"We really need people to be more engaged," he said.
Public meetings being conducted by the three-person independent panel began Wednesday in Moncton and move next to Saint Andrews and Fredericton. In October, they will head to a variety of communities in northern New Brunswick.
The group was put together by the Holt government in April and given one year to study N.B. Power, consult with the public and recommend a course of action for the debt-laden Crown corporation.
The
independent panel reviewing what to do about N.B. Power has begun
in-person public hearings. They started Wednesday in Moncton and will
conclude for the week in Fredericton on Friday. More hearings are
scheduled for October. (Robert Jones/CBC)
In addition to Hawthorne, the review panel includes Anne Bertrand, the former New Brunswick privacy commissioner and N.B. Power board member, and Michael Bernstein, a utility financial expert.
In Saint John, 60 chairs were set up for Thursday's midday public meeting, but only two dozen people showed and only a smattering of those were not connected in some way to the review, to the provincial government or to the electricity industry.
One self-described "Joe Citizen" who did attend was Saint John resident Richard Folkins. He told the panel he viewed talk of further rate increases by N.B. Power "frightening" and blamed much of that on the utility's problems in its operation of the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, which he called "a disaster."
Saint
John resident Richard Folkins told the panel in the city on Thursday
that future rate increases being projected by N.B. Power are
'frightening.' (Roger Cosman/CBC)
"It was a rude awakening to N.B. Power, which shocks me," Folkins said. "I don't know how they didn't see this tidal wave coming."
Hawthorne welcomed Folkins comments and called Lepreau "the poorest performing nuclear plant in North America" that has been causing the utility significant financial problems.
"You haven't said anything that we disagree with," he told Folkins. "Not a thing, not a word came out of your mouth that I disagree with."
Randy McKnight, mayor of Valley Waters, said rural residents are struggling with their power bills. (Roger Cosman/CBC)
Randy McKnight, the mayor of the new municipality of Valley Waters, also attended the Saint John session. He told the panel rural residents are struggling with residential prices for electricity increasing by 30 per cent over the last three years.
In an interview, he said people are not widely participating in the review because they are cynical about government consultations. He hopes that will change.
"There's a lack of belief that this will make any positive, lasting change," McKnight said. "As a community we will put this out through our Facebook page and our web page promoting — fill out the surveys, offer your feedback. We want to encourage every resident to give feedback to N.B. Power."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Review will look at N.B. Power's 'capacity to execute' on major projects
Panel to consider N.B. Power projects but says natural gas plant proposed in Tantramar is not in scope
A review into New Brunswick Power operations will evaluate whether the utility has the capacity to deliver on its projects — but won't wade into the debate about a proposed Tantramar gas plant.
The comments were made in an online public meeting Wednesday evening, part of the larger consultation process for the ongoing review into N.B. Power's operations.
The three-member panel faced several questions about N.B. Power's proposed natural gas plant, to be built by Missouri-based ProEnergy, from several of the nearly 60 people who joined the meeting.
That comes after Tantramar residents voiced concerns about the potential environmental impacts of the project at an open house last week.
But Duncan Hawthorne, a former CEO at Ontario's Bruce Power, said that project falls outside the scope of the review.
The preliminary site layout shows where the plant's 10 turbines would be located on Route 940 in Tantramar. (ProEnergy)
"We cannot interfere with ongoing decisions that N.B. Power are making," Hawthorne said. "Obviously, although we have an interest in what they're doing, we're not able to ask them to stop doing what needs to be done."
The review will look at N.B. Power projects, he added, and how those might impact the bottom line.
"I think it's fair to say that one of the areas we're looking at is N.B. Power's capacity to execute those projects, either because of the scale of them or because of the skill set that those projects require," he said.
He noted the group will only consider projects included in N.B. Power's Integrated Resource Plan — an outline of what energy sources the utility will use as it works to achieve net zero.
"There are a lot of big complex projects coming up for N.B. Power, like Mactaquac or Belledune, or Coleson Cove," he said.
N.B. Power has a multi-billion dollar refurbishment planned for the Mactaquac hydroelectric dam, a key asset for the utility. (Michael Heenan/CBC)
"Big projects generally get in trouble because they're not planned properly or they don't have the right skill set. So that is an area we will certainly be looking at."
The review was initiated by Premier Susan Holt this year after public outcry about high power bills last winter.
N.B. Power has maintained the cause was high consumption during the colder months, a finding backed by an independent audit of the utility's billing system.
But rates have been on the rise as the utility tries to meet its legislated debt reduction targets, while also planning a multi-billion dollar refurbishment of the Mactaquac hydroelectric dam.
The panel held an earlier online question and answer session in June, but panellist Anne Bertrand said the group is set to visit several locations in person during September.
So far that includes appearances in Moncton on Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. AT in the Université de Moncton's Richelieu Room, Saint John on Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. at the TSA Curling Club, St. Andrews at the W. C. O'Neill Arena Complex on Sept. 11 at 5 p.m., and at Fredericton's Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.
Spokesperson Alycia Bartlett said during the session that more dates for in-person consultations would be added at a later time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
N.B. Power review panel defends independence in 1st public info session
Review panel appointed last month
A three-person panel appointed last month to review New Brunswick Power's operations was quick to assure the public on Wednesday that the panel can be counted on for an unbiased perspective.
"It's important that everyone remember that we're truly independent, in that we do not represent that government and we do not represent the public, so we're quite unfettered," said Anne Bertrand, one of the three appointed to oversee the review.
"It really allows us to have a solid, insightful review, free to say what we want."
Bertrand is an ex-N.B. Power board member and provincial privacy and information officer. Micheal Bernstein, a past CEO and investment fund manager in the energy sector, and former Bruce Power CEO Duncan Hawthorne, are the other two members of the review panel.
The trio was announced almost exactly a month ago and faced New Brunswickers for the first time Wednesday, taking written questions over an hour-long virtual meeting.
One of those questions asked directly about the panel's independence and remuneration. Bertrand confirmed all three members are being paid by the provincial government, but likened their situation to that of a judge.
N.B. Power review panel touts independence in first public meeting"Judges are paid by provincial governments … and they are independent, they abide by a code of ethical conduct," Bertrand said.
"This is the same for all three of us."
Wednesday was the first of several planned virtual meetings to allow the panel to hear concerns from people in the province. Bertrand said an engagement survey will be released over the summer and that there will be in person meetings in the fall.
The Mactaquac Dam is awaiting a multi-billion dollar refurbishment. (Michael Heenan/CBC)
Recommendations are expected by the end of March.
Premier Susan Holt launched the review following controversy over a spike in power bills over the winter. N.B. Power has maintained that the primary reason for the increase in bills is higher consumption related to weather, a claim backed up by an independent audit of the utility's billing system.
Rates have also risen steadily in recent years as N.B. Power tries to meet legislated debt reduction targets ahead of a multi-billion dollar refurbishment of the Mactaquac hydroelectric dam, which remains one of the province's most important generating assets.
Hawthorne was quick to warn the 95-odd people who participated in the first session not to expect a quick fix for the utility.
"This is about making N.B. Power fit for the future, and it has a challenging future, make no mistake," he said.
"It faces a challenge, not unlike many of the neighbouring jurisdictions, where assets that have served them well for many years are coming to end-of-life and have to be replaced. Some assets like Lepreau are underperforming and need to be challenged to do better."
N.B. Power was nearly sold to Hydro Quebec a decade and a half ago, but that deal crumbled in the face of overwhelming public backlash. Bertrand said it's important not to look backwards, but Bernstein said that the three of them will examine all possible avenues for the future of the utility.
"That could involve private sector partnerships, that could involve mergers, it could involve working with other players to the benefit of New Brunswickers," Bernstein said.
"We've been given broad latitude to look at whatever options we think can be to the benefit of New Brunswickers."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From: Randy McKnight <rmcknight@valleywaters.ca>
Date: Mon, Jul 8, 2024 at 3:26 PM
Subject: Re: Just a Hello What is your number?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Sent: 08 July 2024 15:05
To: Charity McDonald <charitymcd@gmail.com>; Randy McKnight <rmcknight@valleywaters.ca>; Charity McDonald <cmcdonald@valleywaters.ca>; Angela McLean <cao@valleywaters.ca>
Cc: blaine.higgs <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>; aaron.kennedy@nbliberal.ca <aaron.kennedy@nbliberal.ca>
Subject: Fwd: Just a Hello What is your number?
Mayor and Council
(L to R) Harold Keith, Stephen Muir, Carey Beth Gillis, Randy McKnight, Lindsey Ganong, Charity McDonald, Ann-Marie Snyder
Allain suggests link between premier, delayed municipal fiscal reform
Some local governments in need of bridge funding: municipal group
Former
local government minister Daniel Allain says the municipal fiscal
reform file had moved to the 'wayside' by the time he left cabinet in
mid-2023.
BRUNSWICK NEWS ARCHIVES
Former cabinet minister Daniel Allain is suggesting there’s a link between the delay of further municipal fiscal reform and Premier Blaine Higgs, but the Moncton East Tory MLA won’t say exactly what that link is that has affected the file.
Allain, who was fired as local government minister by Higgs in June 2023, says his department was initially on track to hit a Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to provide more revenue sources for cash-strapped municipalities.
By the time he left cabinet in mid-2023, however, Allain says the municipal fiscal reform file had been moved to the “wayside.”
“Any time that we had momentum we lost it a little bit – that’s unfortunate,” he said in an interview Friday.
“However, I think we can get it back on the rails as fast as we can, and by seeing the two associations (agreeing to municipal fiscal reform priorities) in unison with one voice, I think it’ll definitely help move things forward.”
When asked why momentum was lost, Allain said, “You’ll have to ask the premier on that one,” and wouldn’t elaborate further about what he meant, calling it a “debate” to be had after the upcoming provincial election.
Allain has already announced he won’t reoffer in the election that must occur no later than Oct. 21. He was booted from cabinet last year after he and five other Tory MLAs voted in support of a Liberal motion on Policy 713, which deals with gender identity in the public school system.
Brunswick News requested comment Friday from Higgs about Allain’s statements. Higgs declined comment through his office.
New Brunswick municipalities are now preparing for another year without those promised fiscal changes. Both the anglophone and francophone municipal associations say they’ve been told by the government that additional financial reforms will be implemented by Jan. 1, 2026.
In a statement Friday, new Local Government Minister Glen Savoie said it had “always been the plan” for the changes “to be in effect for the 2026 budget year” once they were implemented in 2025.
But in an interview, Allain said his intention, through the municipal reform white paper he released in 2021, was to have additional fiscal reform changes implemented by Jan. 1, 2025.
In November 2021, the Higgs government pledged that a second phase of fiscal reform to support cash-strapped municipalities would be brought forward by the start of 2025.
Among those changes could include an overhaul of the property tax system, the splitting of provincial cannabis sale proceeds and the handing over of traffic fine revenue to municipalities.
More revenue sources were deemed critical by the Higgs government to support its reorganization of New Brunswick municipalities in the first phase of reform back in 2023.
That same year, the Higgs government implemented the first phase of fiscal reforms – adding a heavy industrial tax class and giving municipalities more flexibility when setting their tax rates – but the province has yet to take any additional steps.
Some local municipalities in need of bridge funding
Some francophone local governments will need financial support to bridge themselves through to Jan. 1, 2026, according to Yvon Godin, president of the L’Association Francophone des Municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick (AFMNB).
“We’ve asked the government to be open to help these governments right now,” said Godin, a councillor for Rivière-du-Nord.
Last December, the Higgs government released a report by two Université de Moncton economic professors who reviewed municipal and regional finances in the province.
The report’s authors, André Leclerc and Pierre-Marcel Desjardins, concluded the current financial model for local governance isn’t sustainable. They predicted as many as 29 local entities – or about one-third of all municipalities and rural districts – could run a budget deficit from 2024 to 2026.
In his statement, Savoie said he was “proud of the work the department is doing to engage with our local government partners as we continue to navigate local governance reform.
“Since I have become minister, it has been my priority to work closely with municipalities on this file,” he said. “I want to recognize the efforts and hard work of local elected officials; we value their voice as we continue to collaborate.”
Liberal local government critic Jacques LeBlanc claims New Brunswick municipalities essentially lost a year of progress on the municipal fiscal reform file due to the departures of Allain and his deputy minister Ryan Donaghy in 2023.
Donaghy – a longtime deputy local government minister – was reassigned to the role of deputy education minister for the anglophone sector.
“(Donaghy) knew everything. He had everything lined up, the timelines were there,” LeBlanc said. “That was, to me, done intentionally.”
Green local government critic Kevin Arseneau said it’s clear that the Higgs government “mismanaged” the file.
“When you say you’re going to do something, you get it done,” said Arseneau, the MLA for Kent North. “This government made some promises and it didn’t follow through on them.
“They put their resources elsewhere.”
Municipal groups unite to advocate during election
Representatives of New Brunswick’s municipal associations continue to participate in a working group with provincial department officials to arrive at a fiscal framework.
But these associations are also preparing for a possible change in government come this fall.
Last week, New Brunswick’s anglophone and francophone municipal groups inked a memorandum of understanding on their shared priorities for a new fiscal framework with the province.
Those priorities include the diversification of revenue streams, “predictable” cost-sharing infrastructure programs, “stable and equitable” equalization funding, long-term funding for enhanced regional service commissions, and a “modern” property assessment and taxation system.
“We want all of the leaders of all the political parties to be aware that we’re united in our efforts around this now and going through the summer and into the election season,” said Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black, president of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick.
Green local government critic Kevin Arseneau said it’s clear that the Higgs government “mismanaged” the file.
“When you say you’re going to do something, you get it done,” said Arseneau, the MLA for Kent North. “This government made some promises and it didn’t follow through on them.
“They put their resources elsewhere.”
Municipal groups unite to advocate during election
Representatives of New Brunswick’s municipal associations continue to participate in a working group with provincial department officials to arrive at a fiscal framework.
But these associations are also preparing for a possible change in government come this fall.
Last week, New Brunswick’s anglophone and francophone municipal groups inked a memorandum of understanding on their shared priorities for a new fiscal framework with the province.
Those priorities include the diversification of revenue streams, “predictable” cost-sharing infrastructure programs, “stable and equitable” equalization funding, long-term funding for enhanced regional service commissions, and a “modern” property assessment and taxation system.
“We want all of the leaders of all the political parties to be aware
that we’re united in our efforts around this now and going through the
summer and into the election season,” said Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black,
president of the Union of Municipalities
of New Brunswick.
Executive
director Dan Murphy and president Andrew Black, of the Union of
Municipalities of New Brunswick, are pictured in this file photo.
Photo by Barbara Simpson/Brunswick News
Allain says he’s “impressed” by the unity on display by the two municipal associations and by the proposal they’ve developed.
Both the Liberals and the Greens say they’re supportive of the municipalities’ fiscal reform asks and know time is of the essence to help these local entities.
In the case of the Greens, Arseneau says his party would like to go further and give more decision-making powers to municipalities – the level of government closest to the people.
As for the Liberals, LeBlanc says he and party leader Susan Holt have been upfront with the municipal associations that they’d need in the new year to meet with stakeholders and develop a long-term fiscal framework if they were to form the next government.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, Jul 17, 2023 at 4:45 PM
Subject: Re: Just a Hello What is your number?
To: Charity McDonald <charitymcd@gmail.com>
On 6/18/23, Charity McDonald <charitymcd@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Dave, how have you been, well I hope…Sorry to not respond
> sooner…interesting read on the race track! I have actually been thinking
> lately I should get in touch with you, to get the info on the current
> bigger political picture, and of course your opinion on what’s been going
> on…I’m almost done work for the summer (hallelujah!), and have been busy
> with lots of meetings and slowly learning how things work lol…can you
> continue to send interesting info, and I’ll read them when I can…maybe give
> a call next week sometime, and we can chat.
> Take care and have a good night
> Charity
>
No 'Harry Potter wand' available to fix N.B. Power, public meeting told
Panellists running a review of N.B. Power suggest realistic solutions are needed to fix utility
A year-long independent review of N.B. Power ordered by the New Brunswick government has been generating some heavy criticism of the utility at public meetings, but not just from members of the public
On Friday during an open session in Fredericton, the review panel itself questioned shortcomings in N.B. Power's management structure and execution that may be contributing to its troubles
Duncan Hawthorne, one of three members of the review panel and a former president of Bruce Power in Ontario, said N.B. Power has been unable to provide him or fellow panellist Michael Bernstein data they requested on how much it costs the utility to produce a kilowatt of electricity.
"That's in itself insightful," Hawthorne told the meeting
"I am an operator — I have been all my life — and I've also been a chief executive, and if I go in any of my facilities, and the guy who runs it can't tell me how much it costs to produce a kilowatt of power, I've got the wrong guy."
N.B. Power can’t say how much it costs to produce a kilowatt of power, irate review panelist saysHawthorne blamed N.B. Power's organizational structure, which he called an "amorphous mass" for its inability to provide the information.
He said the panel is now building its "own financial models" of how N.B. Power operates to understand the utility in a way that will not rely on information supplied by its management.
The Fredericton event was the fourth public meeting of the week for the review panel. Hawthorne, who described himself as "a kind of blunt instrument" in Saint John on Thursday, has been dominating sessions with his plainspoken and often colourful assessment of problems he's been observing.
On the Point Lepreau nuclear generating station, he reiterated the need for better performance and hinted N.B. Power's financial condition may be worse than its financial statements show because of how it overvalues the nuclear plant.
"Lepreau is a very good example of an asset that has a very significant book value because of the cost of refurbishing and other things," Hawthorne said. "And I would tell you a very simple thing: it's not worth the book value today, to anyone.
"No one is coming to pay that for you."
Those hoping the nuclear plant can be sold off at a price that would take its debt off N.B. Power's books are not being realistic, Hawthorne said.
There is no "money tree" in New Brunswick to fix N.B. Power's financial problems with — "I've been looking" — and no "Harry Potter's wand" to wave the debt away, he said.
Panellist Bernstein pointed out that despite recent increases, N.B. Power's rates are still lower than those being charged next door in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. But he had his own questions about why N.B. Power is allowed to add a surcharge to bills to pay for past losses that are stored in a "variance account."
"We are looking at the variance account. Does it make sense," Bernstein said.
"In a normal business, if you don't hit your budget, you lose money."
Several members of the public asked questions. Two told the meeting they had doubts the review would be effective but have begun to change their view.
Fredericton resident Randy Dickinson came to the meeting with a long list of complaints and a whistle which he loudly blew after offering his own views.
"I'm blowing the whistle on N.B. Power," Dickinson said. "It's time for a change.
"I want to thank you for the work you are doing and hopefully it will make a difference."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
N.B. Power report based on 'facts and evidence,' auditors tell MLAs
Authors of report on utility’s winter price spikes face 3 hours of questions from legislative committee
Auditors who examined an apparent winter spike in N.B. Power bills have persuaded one opposition party that meters are working properly — but another party still has doubts.
The two senior auditors from KPMG Canada spent almost three hours Thursday fielding questions from MLAs about their conclusions that the utility's residential meters accurately measured the electricity customers were consuming.
"Our work was focused on facts and evidence and data and analytics-based work. It was robust and it was thorough," said Andrea Coish, an auditor and managing partner of KPMG's Halifax office.
Jack Martin, a KPMG expert in forensic data analytics, told the public accounts committee that "there's no evidence that either conventional meters or smart meters were overstating the power consumption of New Brunswick Power residential customers."
They said it was up to N.B. Power to look at why some ratepayers were consuming more electricity than they believed.
The anecdotal evidence of unexplained spikes in January power bills put the Holt Liberal government on the defensive last winter, prompting it to call in KPMG.
N.B. Power auditors field questions from MLAs about bill spikesThe auditors examined 400 cases of bill spikes — enough to provide a statistically accurate picture of all customers, Martin said.
The report backed N.B. Power's initial explanation that a cold winter, a longer December billing period and a major rate increase — which may have passed unnoticed until winter — combined to jolt customers with high bills.
At least one Liberal MLA said he was convinced.
"We need to stick to the facts and the fact was, on the 400-plus meters, there was nothing wrong about that," Hautes-Terres-Nepisiguit Liberal MLA Luc Robichaud told reporters.
Hautes-Terres-Nepisiguit
Liberal MLA Luc Robichaud told reporters he's convinced N.B. Power's
explanation for higher power bills this past winter is accurate. (Silas Brown/CBC)
Green Party Leader David Coon, who had raised questions about the accuracy of some N.B. Power bills, said he was persuaded by the presentation.
"My view is that the report, after all the questioning, finds that the system is functioning properly for New Brunswickers in terms of making sure that the bills they're being given reflect their actual consumption," he said.
"I'm confident that's the case now."
But Progressive Conservative energy critic Kris Austin said he believes some New Brunswickers will remain unpersuaded because KPMG relied on meter data collected by N.B. Power's own meter testers.
"What we had called for was a review and a testing of the meters outside of N.B. Power's purview. That's what we wanted to see. That's what did not happen," he said.
N.B. Power CEO Lori Clark told the committee that the utility's testers, who are certified by a federal agency, Measurement Canada, would be risking their careers if they deliberately faked any numbers.
Progressive Conservative energy critic Kris Austin believes N.B. Power customers will not be persuaded by report results. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
"There's no incentive for a tester to producer fraudulent results. These are highly trained individuals who would lose their certification and their jobs if they didn't measure properly," she said.
Austin told reporters it was his job as an MLA to reflect public skepticism at the committee, even after three hours of expert testimony.
"It's not my place to tell ratepayers the meters are working properly. My personal opinion — I have no reason to believe they're not," he told reporters.
"It's not whether I'm satisfied. It's whether ratepayers are satisfied, and what I'm hearing from many ratepayers is they're not satisfied."
Clark told the committee that Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador all experienced a public backlash to similar bill spikes during the winter — and authorities in all three provinces came to the same conclusions as N.B. Power.
Clark acknowledged to the MLAs that it has been a struggle for N.B. Power to convince some customers that they're consuming more electricity than they believe.
The utility plans to provide more information to ratepayers, including about how their habits and the weather may affect their bills.
"We have recognized through this process that a lot of our customers do not understand how they are using electricity and they know very little about how consumption is measured and how much they're using in their homes. So there is an education requirement, for sure."
Clark told MLAs that N.B. Power needs their help to push back at what she called misinformation and misperceptions circulating online, particularly on social media.
"I understand the perception and I hope we've been able to demonstrate to you, and to New Brunswickers, that the perception isn't reality."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Holt Liberals set one-year timeline for N.B. Power review
Premier promises transparent process to reach decision on debt-laden utility’s future by March 2026
The Holt Liberal government is giving itself less than a year to come up with a decision about the future of debt-laden N.B. Power.
Some details about a planned public consultation process — including who will run it and how many open meetings there will be — are still taking shape.
But Premier Susan Holt says final recommendations, and a decision by her government, are due by the end of March, 2026.
She told reporters she's aware she must convince a cynical public that the process really is open-ended, with no preset conclusions.
Holt said New Brunswickers "will have access to, directly," the three people who will be chosen to oversee the consultations.
"These three individuals will be putting their own names and reputations on the line," she said.
"Regardless of what the recommendations are, if New Brunswickers won't accept them, either because they didn't believe in the process of they don't believe in the recommendations, we're not going to be further ahead."
The consultations will look at four main issues: N.B. Power's finances, including its $5 billion debt; its governance and structure, its attractiveness to potential investors and partners, and its ability to meet customer expectations.
Holt promises consultation, decision on N.B. Power’s future within a yearIn a statement, utility CEO Lori Clark said the process represented a chance to look at the Crown corporation's challenges.
"We welcome meaningful dialogue with New Brunswickers and are committed to supporting this important work by sharing information, data, and expertise."
The catalyst for the process was a large number of complaints from customers about home heating bills in January that appeared to be unusually high, even with cold weather and recent rate increases factored in.
Underlying those concerns is the larger issue of a Crown corporation that has been unable to reduce its enormous debt, requiring rate hikes totalling 19 per cent over the last two years.
With a required refurbishment of the Mactaquac hydroelectric dam looming — at a cost of at least $7.6 billion — the Liberals have decided to re-examine the entire structure of the utility, with a sale as one option.
That idea provoked an angry public reaction when a previous Liberal government proposed it in 2009.
Holt aims to avoid that by holding extensive public meetings.
"We will be holding public engagement opportunities where people can come out and express at an open mic their views and ideas."
In a statement, N.B. Power CEO Lori Clark says the utility welcomes dialogue through the planned public consultation process. (Jonathan Collicott/CBC)
The process will also involve consultations with experts, stakeholders and Indigenous communities.
"The status quo is not an option," Holt said. "We know there won't be one easy fix to this problem.
"I don't think there will be a silver bullet. I guess I'll be happily surprised if there is one. But we think the solutions are going to be complex and mutlfaceted."
If the conclusions from experts are at odds with public opinion, it'll be up to politicians to "bring New Brunswickers along" or adjust.
"It is the job of politicians to determine how far we can go and how close we can get to what might be a technically ideal solution that isn't publicly ideal," she said.
Progressive Conservative energy critic Kris Austin said the consultation isn't needed.
Progressive
Conservative energy critic Kris Austin says the government already has
enough information to make decisions about N.B. Power. (Mikael Mayer/Radio-Canada)
"I think my question to the premier and the government is: What are you hoping to get out of this review that we don't already know?" he said, citing N.B. Power's annual report, auditor general reports and a review by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"I don't think we're going to find anything new N.B. Power a year from now. … They're saying, 'We're not going to do anything with N.B. Power for the next year.'"
Asked what should be done with the utility, Austin pointed to the previous PC government's efforts to have the utility lower the ratio of its debt to its equity value.
Holt said an audit into the seemingly high January power bills is still expected by the end of this month.
She acknowledged that her government's removal of the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax — 10 per cent — had been offset and more by the two years of rate increases.
She did not announce any additional short-term relief Monday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
All options on table as N.B. tries to restrain rising bills — including sale of utility
N.B. Power much deeper in debt 15 years after a former government's unpopular effort to sell it
Premier Susan Holt says the New Brunswick government is examining options — from a rate freeze to the sale of N.B. Power — to tackle high energy bills.
The province will have a plan to announce "within weeks," Holt told reporters in mid-March.
"We have to do more and different with N.B. because the status quo is not an option."
Holt confirmed that the options on the table include a rate freeze, additional rebates, and the elimination of debt repayment targets.
Former Quebec premier Jean Charest and former New Brunswick premier Shawn Graham announced a proposed deal in October 2009. (CBC)
More drastic options, such as the province assuming responsibility for N.B. Power's debt or selling the utility entirely, are also on the table.
"I want you to know that the government is looking at many different options of what we can do with both N.B. Power, with the situation you are facing on these increased rates," Holt said.
N.B. Power is conducting a third-party audit after people across the province complained of spikes in their bills this winter. That audit is expected to be released in April.
N.B. Power for sale? All options on the table, premier saysAn economic consultant is skeptical about the sale option. David Campbell wonders who would want to buy the utility in its current state.
"Selling the whole of N.B. Power to an investor … that's an option, but it would probably involve the government writing down a huge portion of the debt and also taking liability for Mactaquac," said Campbell, who helped guide economic development strategy under previous Liberal governments, including those of Frank McKenna and Brian Gallant..
N.B. Power's net debt sat at $5.3 billion after the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
The utility is also facing necessary upgrades across its aging transmission network, problems at the Point Lepreau nuclear plant, and the looming refurbishment of the Mactaquac Dam west of Fredericton — arguably its most important asset, according to N.B. Power officials.
The auditor general and bond rating agencies have repeatedly raised concerns about N.B. Power's ability to sustain its operations.
Economic
development consultant David Campbell argues that the best step for the
government at this point may be to take on some or all of N.B. Power's
debt load. (Silas Brown/CBC News)
Darren Murphy, the utility's financial vice-president, warned lawmakers during a recent committee appearance that N.B. Power 's annual capital budget will likely hover around $1 billion in the coming years. The yearly capital expenditure has typically been around $450 million over the last several years.
The current financial pressures, and corresponding rate hikes, have been blamed on previous political decisions. Holt herself made that case, even as she didn't rule out taking similar measures.
"One of the reasons we're in this position is because successive governments have artificially frozen rates, or put them in places where that has wiped out N.B. Power's ability to do the kind of maintenance that they needed to do," she said.
N.B. Power was almost sold before.
In October 2009, with a joint news conference at Government House in Fredericton, then-premier Shawn Graham and Quebec premier Jean Charest announced an agreement to sell most of N.B. Power's assets to Hydro-Québec for $4.8 billion, which was the total amount of the debt at the time.
The plan included rate freezes for N.B. Power customers for five years, after which rates were to be tied to the consumer price index. Industrial customers were to see their rates cut to the significantly cheaper Quebec industrial rate.
But the proposed agreement was received poorly by both the public and opposition politicians. Hundreds gathered outside the legislature to protest the decision, and two members of Graham's cabinet resigned.
Fifteen years later,Graham says he wishes he could have seen a deal through. Part of the problem, he said in an interview, was that he couldn't tell New Brunswickers exactly how bad the situation at the utility was.
"It was like saying, I had an old car and I wanted to go out and sell it and get the best possible price for that automobile," he said. "I could not go out and tell everyone how dire the situation was and then negotiate the best possible price.
"We were hamstrung in our communications."
Graham,
the Liberal premier of New Brunswick from 2006 to 2010, says he regrets
not being able to get a deal done to sell N.B. Power. (Silas Brown/CBC News)
The intervening years have seen N.B. Power's financial picture continue to deteriorate. Graham said he can't imagine there would be much of a case for anyone to buy the utility.
"There's no utility in the world that will come in and pay for the $5.3 billion in debt," he said, also pointing to the impending multimillion dollar Mactaquac refurbishment.
"Sadly, that window has closed."
The utility has been exploring a potential deal with Ontario Power Generation involving Point Lepreau that could include some sort of joint ownership arrangement.
And on the Mactaquac refurbishing, it has been looking at alternative funding pathways, such as the Canada Infrastructure Bank, that would limit the debt impact of the project.
But the fundamental problem of N.B. Power's large debt load, and its struggles to pay it down, remains.
Campbell has advocated the province take on all or part of the utility's debt, which would give N.B. Power some breathing room as it looks to recover.
He argued that in some ways, transferring responsibility from the ratepayer to the taxpayer is fairer.
"The taxpayer pays taxes based on their capacity and their ability to pay," he said. "In other words, the more money they earn, the more they pay income tax. Whereas the ratepayer pays the same rate whether they're poor, whether they're middle class or they're upper class.
"Without some kind of rethinking of this, electricity rates are going to keep going up and up. … I think the time is right for a structural change to set N.B. Power on a firm foundation for the future."
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Everybody knows Tammy Scott-Wallace was the editor of the Kings County Record when I ran in Fundy Royal in 2015 and against her buddy Brucey Baby in 2018
https://tj.news/saint-john-south/scott-wallace-wins-very-awkward-race-against-former-tory-mla
Scott-Wallace wins 'very awkward' race against former Tory MLA
PC candidate Tammy Scott-Wallace earned 507-vote win against Bruce Northrup, who came out of retirement for the Liberals
It was a “very awkward” campaign in Sussex-Three Rivers, and the area’s closest result dating back to 2003.
But at the end, it was incumbent Tammy Scott-Wallace re-elected with a 507-vote lead over her predecessor, Bruce Northrup, even as her Progressive Conservative party lost the 2024 New Brunswick provincial election.
Scott-Wallace, who served as tourism minister in Premier Blaine Higgs’s cabinet, claimed 3,789 votes Monday to 3,282 for Northrup, who had represented the riding as a PC MLA from 2006 to 2020 before coming out of retirement to run for the Liberals in June.
“It was a tight race tonight and I feel incredible tonight. It was tighter than I anticipated, because I was one of the last MLAs declared. Which was very, very different than my experience four years ago,” said Scott-Wallace, who led by 3,045 votes in 2020.
Neither candidate had previously experienced a margin of victory less than 1,200 votes, and it’s the tightest in the area since two-time Liberal MLA LeRoy Armstrong won Kings East with a 456-vote lead in 2003.
“We had a great campaign, we had a lot of good volunteers that stepped up,” Northrup said. “I’ve been retired three years, enjoyed retirement, I’ll go back into retirement tomorrow with no ill effects or no negative things towards this campaign.”
Northrup, a former cabinet minister under David Alward, retired in 2020, saying he moved to Nova Scotia to be closer to his family after living in Sussex for 65 years. Earlier that year, he had opposed the Higgs government’s plan to close overnight ER service at hospitals in six communities, including Sussex. That plan was withdrawn, but two years later Horizon announced a “temporary” shortening of hours at the Sussex Health Centre, now 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., citing staffing issues.
Scott-Wallace, a former journalist, faced a wave of criticism over a trip to Europe last year she took with departmental staff, which cost taxpayers about $42,000.
She was joined by Deputy Tourism Minister Yennah Hurley and two other staff members on the trip to the United Kingdom and France. The group met with several tour operators and publicity firms who do business with the province, but they also visited the British Museum, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Versailles to gather “best practices” for the province’s own heritage sites.
“My conscience is clear when it comes to my expenses around these trips, and I hope that no tourism minister going forward is ever discouraged from doing their job and inviting visitors and attracting visitors to this incredible province,” Scott-Wallace said in April.
In June, Northrup announced that he would be returning as a Liberal, saying he was “not satisfied with the leadership” of Scott-Wallace and Higgs, including centralization of power in the premier’s office, as well as raising concerns over the Sussex Health Centre emergency department and flood mitigation.
In response, Scott-Wallace said at the time that Northrup’s return amounted to “changing all of his views for the chance of another government paycheque.”
But on Monday, she said that “we had a Liberal candidate that really resonated” in Northrup and the race was expected to be tight.
“People have clearly made health care an important topic here in Sussex, especially,” said Scott-Wallace, who faced criticism at a town hall in September, days after a man said he was turned away from the ER while having a heart attack. “I think the result went the way it did tonight because we’ve been very transparent about the plan for our ER. I think people very much understand that this is a national issue.”
Scott-Wallace said the government had a “solid plan” to restore service in the ER, which she said should bear fruit with “re-opening in the coming months.” Horizon has announced a “blended” pilot project allowing nurses and paramedics to staff the ER with virtual assistance from a doctor.
“Clearly they have faith that I’m going to keep my foot on the pedal when it comes to that fight,” she said. She also pointed to the June announcement of a new clinic in the Petitcodiac-Three Rivers region, now part of the riding, as evidence that things there have “turned the corner.”
When asked Monday about how he felt about the result, Northrup said he “knocked on a lot of doors and talked to a lot of people” since June.
“I just hope that the present MLA will take care of the Sussex Health Centre situation,” he said.
He also said he had brought the community’s flood mitigation proposal “to a forefront.”
The flood mitigation plan, which involves digging a diversionary channel from Trout Creek to the Kennebecasis River, had been awaiting federal approval since the town’s application was re-submitted in spring of last year. Scott-Wallace was on hand at the project announcement in June as the federal government committed $15.3 million, with the province announcing more than $1 million for a berm project in Sussex Corner and design work on the project’s environmental impact assessment, and promising $12 million in future budgets.
That announcement came six days after Northrup announced his candidacy. Scott-Wallace said at the time that flooding in February was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” and that the premier had visited the town to discuss its needs in the spring a month before the announcement.
Northrup said Monday that “the money’s in place,” saying that and the ER situation are “the two main reasons I came out of retirement.”
“I’m happy I’ve come back, I really am, I just thought there was a need for me to come back, I didn’t have to be here,’ he said.
Northrup was emotional as he thanked volunteers at his election night party at Smitty’s Restaurant, telling Brunswick News “we left a foundation, we left the riding in a good situation,” adding that he hopes another candidate steps up soon to start work on the next election.
Then, he drove across town to the Sussex Golf and Curling Club, where he offered his congratulations to Scott-Wallace in person.
“Bruce said that he hopes that we can continue to be friends after this. I said, of course, I accept his friendship,” said Scott-Wallace, who said she had known him “for a very very long time.”
But in her victory speech, she thanked those who “stood by me despite a very awkward circumstance” and told Brunswick News that his switching parties caused “friction within the community, and we were divided” because of the respect people held for Northrup.
She also said that the provincial results have “been upsetting in a lot of ways,” citing colleagues who lost their seats “that I was hoping to return to Fredericton with.”
“But we also have an opportunity as a party and those that have been elected tonight to come together and rebuild our party,” Scott-Wallace said. When asked what the party could have done differently, she said there were “issues that were outstanding that were divisive for sure,” but that after two terms, “people were clearly looking for a change.”
“We have done an incredible amount of work, and not everybody agreed with the path we were taking,” she said.
Also running in the riding were Green candidate Teri McMackin, a former Petitcodiac councillor, who received 1,235 votes, and Libertarian candidate Wayne Wheeler, who received 159 votes.
“Over 1,200 people put their vote with me and I take that very seriously,” McMackin said in a statement. “At the doors, I heard a lot of people who supported me but worried about splitting the vote. They wanted to hold the Higgs government accountable and we see that with more than half the vote not going with the incumbent.”
Outside a polling place at the Sussex Legion hall, voter Kim Forgrave said health care and pensions were her main issues. Bridget Ryan said “health care is very important to me, also the fiscal report card for the province,” saying the government needed to put its surplus towards education and health care. Andrea and Sage Creelman said that health care and keeping the hospital open were their main issues.
In the neighboring riding of Arcadia-Butternut Valley-Maple Hills, Progressive Conservative candidate Don Monahan, co-owner of the Sussex KOA campground, won with 4,284 votes over Liberal candidate Connie Larson with 2,289 votes.
– With files from Barbara Simpson
Anne Bertrand is an ex-N.B. Power board member and provincial privacy and information officer
https://www.rebootcommunications.com/speaker_info/anne-bertrand/
Anne Bertrand
Anne Elizabeth Bertrand hails from northern New Brunswick and she pursued her post-secondary studies in Sciences and in Law at the University of New Brunswick. She established her private law practice in Fredericton and worked in the areas of administrative law, criminal law, employment law and civil litigation for more than 24 years. In doing so, Ms. Bertrand acquired extensive experience as counsel appearing before all levels of courts including two appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. For many years Ms. Bertrand sat as an adjudicator on various administrative tribunals, including as Vice-Chair of the Labour and Employment of New Brunswick, Member of the Public Service Staff Relations Board, and as Alternate Chair of the New Brunswick Review Board to review cases of accused persons suffering from mental disorders. Ms. Bertrand continued to find time to be involved as a volunteer in a number of not-for-profit organizations. Among those, she became National Vice-President of the Mounted Police Foundation, Director of the Greater Fredericton Economic Development Corporation, President of the York Sunbury Law Society, President of the Conseil Économique du Nouveau-Brunswick, Chair of the New Brunswick Foundation for the Arts, Member of the Advisory Committee on Judicial Appointments for New Brunswick. On September 1st, 2010, Anne E. Bertrand, Q.C. became the Province’s first Access to Information and Privacy Commissioner, an appointment which carries a mandate of five years.
Government of Canada announces appointments to the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Board of Directors
News release
Ottawa, Ontario, December 06, 2022—Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, announced the appointment of Andrée-Lise Méthot and Michael Bernstein to the Board of Directors of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB).
Ms. Méthot has had a long and distinguished career in venture capital, engineering, and corporate governance. She is the founder and Managing Partner of Cycle Capital, a leading investment and innovation platform, as well as the founder and Chairperson of Accelerator Cycle Momentum. Ms. Méthot is a member of the Paris Fonds Vert Advisory Board, the Government of Canada’s Task Force on Women in the Economy, and an ambassador in clean technologies for Investissement Québec. Ms. Méthot is an Officière de l’Ordre national du Québec and received the Grand Prix d’excellence from the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. She holds a Master’s degree in Science from Université de Montréal and a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering from Université Laval.
Mr. Bernstein is a seasoned senior executive with extensive experience in the Canadian power, infrastructure and utilities sector, including negotiating and structuring complex infrastructure investments and projects. Mr. Bernstein is currently a Senior Advisor with the Boston Consulting Group and President of Juno Advisors Ltd., and formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer of Capstone Infrastructure Corporation. He was also a Senior Managing Director with Macquarie. Mr. Bernstein holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Ivey Business School at Western University. He also holds Chartered Financial Analyst and ICD.D designations and has served on various boards of directors throughout his career.
Ms. Méthot and Mr. Bernstein were appointed in accordance with the Government of Canada’s open, transparent, and merit-based selection process.
Quotes
“Canadians will benefit from the wealth of experience Andrée-Lise Méthot and Michael Bernstein bring to the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Board of Directors. Our government will continue to work with its partners to grow our economy, increase the resiliency of our communities, and improve the lives of Canadians.”
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
Quick facts
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The CIB works to deliver more infrastructure for Canadians by attracting private capital in infrastructure projects.
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Working in cooperation with all orders of government, private investors and project sponsors, the CIB attracts private capital in infrastructure projects across Canada that contribute to Canada's long-term and sustainable economic growth, closing the infrastructure gap and support the creation of good, well-paying jobs.
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As a Crown corporation, the CIB is governed by an independent Board of Directors and is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.
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To date, the CIB has advanced over 40 partnerships, committed $8.3 billion of its capital, and attracted $7.8 billion in private and institutional investment to support transformative projects across its five priority sectors: public transit, clean power, green infrastructure, broadband, and trade and transportation. Under its Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative, the Bank also supports investments in infrastructure projects in partnership with, and for the benefit of, Indigenous communities across its priority sectors.
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Associated links
Contacts
Kelly Ouimet
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
Kelly.Ouimet@iga-aig.gc.ca
(343) 552-3420
Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Web: Infrastructure Canada
https://cib-bic.ca/en/about-us/governance/
Governance
The Government of Canada sets the overall policy direction and high-level investment priorities of the CIB. We work cooperatively with all levels of government, private investors and project sponsors to identify potential investments and make independent commercial decisions.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. For more information, see the Infrastructure Canada website and The Canada Infrastructure Bank Act.
The Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities provides the priorities and expectations for the CIB in the Statement of Priorities and Accountabilities (SPA) to the Board and Chair of Canada Infrastructure Bank.
150 King Street West
P.O. Box 15
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5H 1J9
1-833-551-5245
investments@cib-bic.ca
contact@cib-bic.ca
Mr. Bernstein is a seasoned senior executive with extensive experience in the Canadian power, infrastructure and utilities sector, including the negotiation and structuring of complex infrastructure investments and projects.
Mr. Bernstein is currently a Senior Advisor with the Boston Consulting Group and President of Juno Advisors Ltd., a consulting firm focused on strategic advisory and investment opportunities. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Capstone Infrastructure Corporation, responsible for the company’s overall management of power infrastructure and utilities businesses in Canada and internationally. Prior to this, Mr. Bernstein was President of Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets Canada Ltd., a Senior Managing Director of Macquarie Group Limited and Macquarie Capital Markets Canada, as well as a senior executive with CIBC World Markets Power and Utilities investment banking group.
Mr. Bernstein holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Ivey Business School at Western University. He also holds Chartered Financial Analyst and ICD.D designations, and has served on various boards of directors throughout his career.
525 8th Avenue SWSuite 3150
Calgary, AB, T2P 1G1
Canada T +1 587 441 1100
John Casola is a Carleton alumnus and former CUSA President. He is a leader in the Canadian infrastructure sector, currently serving as the Chief Investment Officer at the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
With over 35 years of experience in project finance and public-private partnership transactions, John has a proven track record of driving investment strategies and fostering economic growth and indigenous reconciliation through innovative infrastructure projects and partnerships. Known for pioneering “first of kind” public- private partnership projects in Canada, John has extensive experience advising both public and private sector organizations and is experienced in ESG matters and Indigenous infrastructure transactions.
His career began in law at Torys LLP, followed by significant roles at PwC and Investec Bank. John holds a BA in Political Science from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor, with executive development programs completed at Harvard University and the Kellogg School of Management.
John has been elected to the Board of Governors for a three-year term commencing July 1, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2028.
He called back 416 727 3603
Ehren Cory, CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), is a leader in infrastructure investing in Canada. He joined the CIB in 2020 with a focus on accelerating new infrastructure investment through partnerships with the private and public sectors. Previously, he was the CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, one of North America’s largest public infrastructure developers. Ehren currently serves on the Boards of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships and Unity Health Toronto, and is involved in a number of leading investment organizations including the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen’s University. He received an MBA from INSEAD and an Honours BA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.
Before joining the CIB, Frédéric was a Partner with Hansell LLP, where his legal practice focused on advising boards of directors, shareholders and management teams on matters involving special situations, crisis management, stakeholder relations, board effectiveness and the development of governance policies and practices. Frédéric also held progressively more senior positions with the Ontario Securities Commission.
Frédéric is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa.
Frédéric is based out of the CIB’s Toronto office.
https://www.kincardinerecord.com/story.php?id=18562
Hawthornes donate $100,000 to new Well Youth Hub in Kincardine
“My brother committed suicide many years before people started talking about mental health issues,” said Duncan, “and it left a mark on the family.
“We feel it’s important to support good initiatives locally, and this is an easy community to support. Everybody feels part of it and everyone helps. It’s easy to help when the ball is already starting to roll. Huron Shores Hospice was like that. You don’t know you need it until you need it.
“This is a great initiative and we’re pleased to be a small part of it.”
The Hawthornes now live in the United Kingdom and support many programs there, including a crisis centre for homeless people in Edinburgh. Duncan is the former president and chief executive officer of Bruce Power, and the couple lived in the Kincardine area for years until he retired.
Lesley (left) and Duncan Hawthorne present a cheque for $100,000 to Shannon McGavin, executive director of the Well Community Collective, Friday morning, at the grand opening of the youth hub in Kincardine
A crowd gathered for the opening of the youth hub which operates out of the Canadian Mental Health Association (The Dory) building at the corner of Durham and Queen Streets in Kincardine. Currently, young people, aged 12-25, are encouraged to drop in on Fridays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the summer. The youth hub offers a safe and inclusive space, free snacks and activities, and free clinical services. No registration is required, just a warm welcome every week.
The Well Community Collective (The Well) is a community-driven initiative committed to improving youth mental health and well-being. The collective’s flagship initiative is the creation of youth hubs — youth-centred spaces designed to provide safe, supportive, and stigma-free environments for youth to access care, connect with peers, and build brighter futures.
The hubs provide free, barrier-free access to a wide range of supports, including mental health, substance use, and primary-care services, as well as help with education, employment, housing, and wellness, all under one roof.
The Well is raising $6-million to fund integrated youth wellness hubs in Kincardine, Exeter, Goderich, Owen Sound, and Stratford, with plans to expand to other centres in the region. Previous donations from Bruce Power, Kinectrics and CANDU Energy helped kick-start fund-raising efforts across the region.
Using a model developed by the Centre of Mental Health and Addiction, and proving successful in other regions in southern Ontario, The Well brings together a wide range of social and community services to offer youth and young adults necessary resources for mental health, addiction and personal well-being in a brick-and-mortar facility, which will also act as a youth centre for hanging out with friends, which helps to remove possible stigmas.
Shannon McGavin, executive director of the Well Community Collective, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the organization and local youth.
“We’re so grateful to Duncan and Lesley (Hawthorne) for their support and incredible generosity,” said McGavin. “We want our youth to be successful and optimistic for the future, and this donation will go a long way to help provide the support needed to make that happen. It’s important to provide the right help at the right time.”
QUICK FACTS:
- One-in-four Canadian youth, aged 15–26, experience mental health and substance use disorders
- Youth, aged 18-29, in Huron and Perth counties experienced a 100-per-cent increase in males and 79-per-cent increase in females who reported poor mental health
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth, aged 12-24, in Ontario, with suicide rates in our communities tracking much higher than the provincial average
- Regular heavy drinking is a health concern in our communities, with self-reported use in Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth counties tracking higher than Ontario averages
Gathered for the cheque presentation, are John Peevers (left) of Bruce Power and the Well Collective, Lesley and Duncan Hawthorne, Shannon McGavin, executive director of the Well Collective, and Kincardine mayor Kenneth Craig
Duncan and Lesley Hawthorne (centre) cut the ribbon to officially open The Well Youth Hub in downtown Kincardine, Friday morning; with them, are Kincardine mayor Kenneth Craig, Shannon McGavin, executive director of the Well Collective, youth ambassador Deirdre Schumacher, and engagement and evaluation lead Reba Oldridge
Written ByLiz Dadson
Liz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
https://www.kincardinerecord.com/story.php?id=16700
Hawthornes donate $1-million to Kincardine Hospital capital campaign
For that reason, they have donated $1-million to the Kincardine Hospital capital campaign.
They made the presentation at one of their favourite times in Kincardine, the Canada Day celebration, Monday afternoon, in Macpherson Park.
Former president and chief executive officer of Bruce Power, Duncan and his wife, Lesley, returned to the U.K. in 2016, but love returning to Kincardine every year.
“We were sad to leave this community, even though you really never leave it,” said Duncan. “In the U.K., we’re having an election in three days, and the debate is all about what people don’t have.
“Here, the community helps itself. If you need something, people do everything they can to help. We were aware of the fund-raising being done for the capital campaign, so we are donating this money to the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation for the Kincardine Hospital.
“The $18-million you have to raise is a big ask but we have no doubt that you’ll get there. This community will help you get there.”
A banner was then unfurled, stating “Welcome to the Hawthorne Emergency Department.”
“We are extremely touched by this gift,” said hospital foundation president Becky Fair. “It will make such a difference in health care services, and provide a state-of-the-art medical facility in the Kincardine area. Thank you, Duncan and Lesley, we are overwhelmed by your generous contribution.”
The capital campaign, “Building Health Care for Generations,” is working to raise the local contribution of $18-million to fund the expansion and renovation of the Kincardine Hospital, with the provincial government funding the remainder. The $79-million project has moved into Stage 3 approvals, and will more than double the footprint of the emergency room, medical imaging unit (including the CT and new MRI machine) and laboratory space.
To recognize the Hawthornes’ significant donation, the renovated Emergency Department will be named in their honour.
Duncan (left) and Lesley Hawthorne are joined by their granddaughter, Hannah Burnett, 13, in announcing the $1-million donation to the Kincardine Hospital capital campaign, at Canada Day in Kincardine, Monday afternoon
Duncan and Lesley are well-known in the Kincardine area for their ongoing support of local health care. The Hawthorne Community Clinic is a hub for family health care, and their continued support of the Huron Shores Hospice has brought peace to the final days of many area families.
The foundation has gathered a team of volunteers, led by co-chairpersons Kathryn Freimanis and Graham Mahood, and including current and retired health-care workers, business people, and interested community members. These ambassadors are reaching out to families, community groups and businesses to successfully complete the “Building Health Care for Generations” campaign.
Community members who would like more information about supporting the campaign, can contact Mark Womack, capital campaign manager, at 519-396-3331, Ext. 4335 or kfcapitalcampaign@outlook.com.
Unfurling the banner, announcing the Hawthorne Emergency Department at the Kincardine Hospital, are Brad Kirkconnell (left), Brenda Colquhoun of the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band, Lesley Hawthorne, Hannah Burnett, Peggy Farrell of the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band, Duncan Hawthorne, and Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation president Becky Fair
Members of the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation (in blue shirts) stand with Duncan and Lesley Hawthorne and their family (in red and white), and Brad Kirkconnell (centre, in cowboy hat), with the banner, announcing the Hawthorne Emergency Department at the Kincardine Hospital; photo courtesy of the hospital foundation
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Written ByLiz Dadson
Liz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
info@kincardinerecord .
kincardinerecord@gmail.com
Record number of visitors tour Bruce Power nuclear site over summer
Bruce Power’s Summer Bus Tour Program saw a record season with 6,193 people taking part.
“Giving people a peek behind the curtain at how one-third of Ontario’s electricity is generated is always exciting for the staff at the Visitors’ Centre,” said Dwight Irwin, Bruce Power’s manager of community relations in a news release.
Bruce Power is the only nuclear station in Canada to offer the public an up-close look at its facilities, the release said, including a one-hour narrated tour around the 2,100-acre site, exploring the areas around Bruce A and B, Douglas Point, Hydro One’s switchyards, and Ontario Power Generation’s Nuclear Sustainability Services facility through tours that ran three times per day, seven days a week.
“Aside from being the backbone of the province’s energy grid, many guests are surprised to learn that nuclear is a carbon-free form of electricity and they’re very interested in our medical isotope program,” Irwin continued. “Many guests tell us the visit makes them more comfortable with nuclear power after having the opportunity to learn more and see our site in person.”
Due to the popularity of the summer bus tour program, Bruce Power has added weekly tours this fall, which will be held at 11 a.m. on Sept. 11, 18, 25 and Oct. 2. Pre-registration is encouraged at brucepower.com/bustours.
Tours are also available school groups from Grades 3 to 12, as well as trades programs and post-secondary institutions. Educators can request a presentation that is catered to the age and interests of the participants by calling 519-361-7777 or emailing BNPDVisitorCentre@brucepower.com.
Community organizations and service groups can also arrange a visit that could include a site tour by reaching out to the Visitors’ Centre, which is open year-round, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more at brucepower.com/visit.
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Elizabeth Small
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