Press release
September 22, 2026
Holt government shifting energy transition into reverse
FREDERICTON – Green Party leader and MLA for Fredericton Lincoln David Coon says that the Holt government’s commitment to burn more fossil fuels is trumping the pathways recommended in the recently released Net Zero Blueprint to gear down New Brunswick’s consumption of oil and gas.
“In the same week as the Holt government quietly released the Net Zero Blueprint on the government’s website without any promotion, the Premier held a news conference opening the door to fracking in the province,” said Coon. “This follows on her decision to break her promise to launch a solar retrofit program to help people put panels on their homes and businesses.”
The Net Zero Blueprint has 3 core principles that are supposed to guide policymaking:
- New Brunswickers First – ensuring a just and fair transition
- Ambitious and Lasting Results – focusing on deep, early, and sustained emission reductions
- A Strong Decarbonized Economy – building a resilient, low-carbon economy
“Instead of shifting the energy transition into high gear, the Premier is doing the reverse, doubling down on fossil fuels. Rather than making deep and early emission reductions from burning less oil and gas we’re going to burn more in new power plants and at hyperscale AI data centres, sending us back toward a high carbon economy,” said Coon.
The Green Party leader says making the energy transition away from fossil fuels represents one of the largest opportunities for community economic development in a generation, and Premier Holt is squandering it.
“Instead of seizing the moment and building out a flourishing economy based on renewable energy that will provide lower cost electricity and energy security, Premier Holt is doing the opposite, supporting US-based companies to build gas plants and data centres that will increase our dependence on fossil fuels and make things worse,” said Coon.
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