Tantramar Council comes out against gas plant on the Isthmus

At its meeting on Tuesday, Tantramar Council reversed its position on the proposed 500 MW gas/diesel plant within town limits near Centre Village when it approved a three-part motion from Councillor Michael Tower directing that:

1. council send a letter to Premier Holt stating it is against the gas plant;
2. the letter ask for the gas plant project to be suspended until NB Power answers questions from citizens at a public meeting that would also be attended by council’s climate change advisory committee;
3. and that the letter ask the premier and the provincial minister of the environment to meet with council to discuss its concerns.

The vote was 5-2 with Councillors Tower, Bruce Phinney, Greg Martin, Josh Goguen and Debbie Wiggins-Colwell in favour of the motion while Deputy Mayor Matt Estabrooks and Councillor Barry Hicks were against it.

Mayor Andrew Black and Councillor Allison Butcher were absent.

In September, Council narrowly defeated a previous motion from Tower that called for the cancellation of the gas plant project with the majority arguing that council did not have the authority to make such a demand.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Tower suggested that opponents of the gas plant were concerned about protecting the area’s quality of life “without the threat to our environment, without a threat to our water or our health.”

In opposing Tower’s motion, Deputy Mayor Estabrooks said that representatives from NB Power would be meeting with council on December 17.

“I myself would like to hear from them and be able to ask them some questions specifically before I vote in favour of this motion,” he said.

Seniors for Climate – Tantramar

Earlier in the council meeting, Penny Mott, speaking on behalf of the group Seniors for Climate – Tantramar, urged council to take a public stand against the gas plant as an audience of about 50 listened.

Mott argued that while the project may make economic sense for NB Power, there would be enormous costs for the people of New Brunswick with the burning of fossil fuels contributing to climate change.

“This project is harmful to humans, wildlife, and the environment in countless ways,” she said, adding that the power utility as well as the federal and provincial governments are not concerned enough about its consequences.

She also pointed to the lack of Indigenous consent.

“To date, there is no approval for this proposal to be built on unceded land,” she said.

“Proceeding without free, prior, and informed consent from First Nations risks violating their inherent and treaty rights affirmed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is Canadian law, she added.

“Councillors of Tantramar we do need you to take a public position on this gas plant proposal before it’s too late,” she concluded.

To read a transcript of Mott’s presentation, click here.

Health effects

Council also heard a two-minute presentation from retired doctor Harold Popma speaking on behalf of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

He warned about the health effects of the proposed gas plant.

“The burning of fossil gas and diesel in the proposed refurbished jet engines will spill out pollutant chemicals into the air and ultimately also contaminate water and soil,” he said.

“These volatile organic compounds are harmful to our bodies and they can make us sick when we breathe them and when we drink them and over 25 years the effects accumulate,” he added as he urged town council to “stop this proposal.”

To read a transcript of Popma’s remarks, click here.

‘Incredibly positive’

After the council meeting, Meredith Fisher, a member of Seniors for Climate – Tantramar, welcomed the majority vote to oppose the proposed gas plant calling it “incredibly positive.”

“I believe that if I were the premier or the prime minister, having the local government opposed to it carries lots of weight,” she said.

“If we didn’t say that we don’t want it here, they would be very happy to go merrily along and do this crazy project,” she added.

Logan Atkinson, a fellow member of the Seniors group agreed.

“We think it’s the first step towards having our council stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the resistance,” he said.

Bruce Wark worked in broadcasting and journalism education for more than 35 years. He was at CBC Radio for nearly 20 years as senior editor of network programs such as The World at Six and World Report. He currently writes for The New Wark Times, where a version of this story first appeared on December 10, 2025.