Some unhappy business owners are trying to figure out what New Brunswick’s shale gas fracking moratorium means to them.
They fear it will devastate the local economy, and worry the wording will make it difficult for them to plan ahead.
Premier Brian Gallant placed conditions on the legislation including a process to consult with First Nations, a plan that mitigates the impact on public infrastructure and addresses waste water disposal and credible information about the effects fracking has on health, water and the environment.
The development of a royalty structure and a "social licence" ensuring that the public accepts fracking are also needed before the moratorium would be removed, Gallant said, though he acknowledged that last condition has yet to be defined.
Ralph Cunningham owns a contracting company that supports resource development in the Sussex area.
He says many businesses benefit from development in the area.
“All the other little businesses, motels and everything, restaurants, all benefit by having the crews here,” he says.
That’s the reason why, Cunningham says, a shale gas moratorium, which was announced yesterday in New Brunswick, has him scratching his head.
“We do a lot of work with Corridor Resources, employ a lot of people,” says business owner, Tony Bell. “These past few months, we’ve done more for them than we ever have in the last four years.”
Some of the conditions for the moratorium to be liftedare causing confusion.
“The social license part of it is probably the stickler on the whole thing,” adds Bell. “The other ones are probably easier to meet.”
“Very vague conditions that he has put on to get it back in place, and vague doesn’t work in the business,” says Cunningham. “You have to have some certainty.”
With files from CTV Atlantic’s David Bell.
