Golden age of gas. C’est fini

Oct 31

Montreal just took a stand against methane gas. The city is banning gas hookups for most new buildings (three storeys or less) starting next October and for larger buildings as of April 2025.

The ban means new building permits will not allow fossil gas for heating and hot water or for stoves and pools. No heating oil or propane, either (little barbecue tanks get a pass).

“When we see how much greenhouse gases come from buildings, then this is clearly the right thing to do,” said Mayor Valérie Plante.

There’s often an urge to pick holes in any government announcements. So let’s get that out of the way. The ban only applies to new building permits. It doesn’t solve the spew from the vast majority of homes and buildings that are already built and will be around for decades. But you’re probably familiar with the first rule of holes. When you’re in one, stop digging. Cities like Montreal are trying to stop the problem from getting worse.

“It’s an important milestone,” said Marie-Andrée Mauger, the city’s point person on ecological transition, “because we’re stopping the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector.”

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Peter Allan

Golden age of gas. C’est fini

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