August 26, 2025
Northern Village supports:
B Local Ontario's Campaign for Fair Compensation
B Local Ontario has undertaken a Campaign for Fair Compensation for the use of Municipal Land to bring attention to a long-standing inequity that allows fossil fuel companies like Enbridge get a free ride for their gas infrastructure because of a provincial law that bans municipalities from charging them for the use of public land. Further, Enbridge wants municipalities to sign long-term "Franchise Agreements" committing municipalities to this inequity for another 20 years.
The City of Guelph's last Franchise Agreement expired in April 2025, and the city is negotiating a new one. A successful motion brought forth by Councillor Leanne Caron, instructed staff to add a clause that if the provincial law removes the restriction banning cities from charging for use of public land, that the City of Guelph would charge easement fees. Of course, Enbridge did not agree to this, and has appealed the case to the Ontario Energy Board.
In addtion to this ongoing challenge, MPP and Leader of the Ontario Green Party, Mike Schreiner, has introduced Bill 50, No Free Ride for Fossil Fuels Act (2025) to end this subsidy, which will result in more investment in clean energy, and will assist municipalities in redirecting funds to invest in climate action.
Northern Village is happy to be assisting this campaign in a number of ways. We are:
- Participating on the Advocacy Committee to help develop the campaign
- Maintaining the Campaign web page, including keeping the resources up to date and managing the petition
- Record a Public Service Announcement (PSA) in support of the Campaign to play on CFRU and make it available to other community radio
- Amplifying the message to help educate the public and businesses.
If you, as a business leader, support Fair Compensation for the use of municipal land for fossil fuel infrastructure, please consider signing the B Local Ontario petition.