Following the lead of several Quebec municipalities, the provincial government has announced a plan to decarbonize non-industrial buildings by 2040, leaving time for a transition to renewable energy.
The framework targets residential, commercial and institutional buildings, both new and existing. The installation of natural gas heating systems will be prohibited in new residential buildings under 600 m² and three stories or less, prioritizing electrification.
The plan impacts two provincial regulations, including the Regulation on Oil Heating Appliances and the Regulation Respecting the Quantity of Gas from Renewable Sources to be Delivered by a Distributor. For the latter, amendments made to this regulation will allow gas distributors to gradually reduce the quantity of natural gas delivered to residential, commercial and institutional consumers.
“To effectively combat climate change, every sector must contribute, including the buildings sector,” announced Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister responsible for the Laurentides region. “After regulating fuel oil, we are now targeting natural gas, another fossil fuel. Together with our partners in the energy sector and municipalities, we will put in place measures to ensure an orderly transition to renewable energy, while ensuring a gradual adaptation for consumers.”
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The new plan excludes the Outaouais region, where regional natural gas distributor Gazifère will file a decarbonization plan for the entire buildings sector in January 2025 to be implemented in 2026.
Provincial targets for the buildings sector:
- Overall reduction of 50% of fossil-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to heating of buildings in 2030 compared to their 1990 level considering all GHG-emitting energies. This objective is supported by the main energy distributors in Quebec.
- A 60% reduction in fossil fuel GHG emissions from heating in government housing stock by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
- Zero fossil-based GHG emissions from heating in institutional real estate by 2040.
- A 15% reduction in unit energy consumption of institutional real estate by 2030 compared to the 2012-2013 level.
In Montreal, the first stage of a new bylaw to restrict natural gas, oil and propane for heating and cooking took effect October 1, 2024 for new buildings up to three storeys and 600 m². The ban will come into effect for new, larger buildings on April 1, 2025.
So now what? There seems to be a shortage of answers as to how this is going to work and what it will cost consumers and residents. and what their responsibilities will be for home heating What else is new with this nonsense from politicians. Cuts first solutions and answers later if at all. By the way what are the consumers’s options> I am sure they have been well thought ouy snf sn understandable and coherent plan put in place by now. Prey tell, please tell us more.
Economic law of supply and demand will no longer apply. Choice of energy supply will be limited to that of Quebec Hydro with unit rate set by the prevailing government. Accept or relocate to any other jurisdiction that continues to enable choice of energy supply.