Parents want Montréal to accelerate decarbonization of buildings

Dec. 2022

Parents of For Our Kids / Pour Nos Enfants Montréal submitted a brief to the City of Montréal's consultation "Roadmap to zero emission buildings in Montreal by 2040".

Mother and physician Dr. Geneviève Ferdais also presented on behalf of the group to Montreal's Commission on Water, Environment, Sustainable Development on December 12, 2022. When asked what her position was for property owners asking for more exceptions or slowing down the ambition for zero emissions she answered: "C'est avec des "oui, mais" qu'on a créé la crise climatique."

"It's the "yes, but" that has created the climate crisis".

The parents' brief included five key policy proposals and can be viewed here.

It also critiques a recent deal between the government of Québec, Hydro-Québec and Énergir to create a dual-energy electric-gas system and commitments to compensate Énergir for loss of revenues by passing the bill on to customers. A recent study from Écohabitation (as reported in the Montreal Gazette) found that: "Hydro’s preferred approach would cost customers more [than if they] just used electric heating with heat storage technology, and it would be better for the environment by not making unnecessary use of natural gas."

At the recent C40 World Mayors Summit 2022, Montréal Mayor Valérie Plante said: “Fossil natural gas is an energy choice of the past. That is why Montréal will ban its use in all municipal buildings by 2030. We will also follow a new roadmap to accelerate the transition to heat pumps powered by renewable electricity and other clean solutions to heat all buildings in a safe, clean and healthy way by 2040.”

For Our Kids Montréal agrees that Montreal must keep natural gas out of Montréal buildings and not get derailed by industry led agreements that threaten a safe climate for our kids.
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Other submissions to the Commission can be viewed here and a video of the presentation made by For Our Kids Montreal is available (in French) here: