Sarnia wants in as the federal government looks to transition carbon economies to clean energy

Sarnia-Lambton wants to be part of the action as the federal government moves forward with legislation to help carbon-based economies, like the region’s petro-chemical industry, transition to the low-carbon sector.

“Sarnia-Lambton is so different from the image of 10 or 20 years ago, between our hydrogen hub, clean tech,” said Sarnia Mayor, Mike Bradley, who played host to federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson at the Western Sarnia Lambton Research Park Monday.

“This research park, affiliated with Western, is one of the most successful in North America,” he said.

Wilkinson toured the research park and heard from industry leaders in the low-carbon sector.

“We are moving to address climate change, or course, that’s a science issue,” explained Wilkinson. “But how you do that in a way that enables economic opportunity is really critical, and this is a great example of a community that has put it all together.”

The minister’s visit comes with the government expected to introduce the Just Transition Bill later this year.

Also known as the Sustainable Jobs Bill, it’s geared towards helping workers transition from carbon-based economies into the low-carbon sector.

Not everyone is happy with it though. Some oil producing provinces worry it could mean the beginning of the end for the oil and gas industry.

Marshall Kern of the Bowman Centre for Sustainable Energy said he hopes the bill is about making sure no one gets left behind.

“We need to make sure that as things move form the hydrocarbon-dependent economy, to a de-carbonized economy more dependent on electricity that the transition for the people involved will be front and centre,” said Kern.

And while much of the focus for the bill has been on Alberta, Wilkinson said that needs to change.

“It’s really important that the sustainable jobs conversation is one that we have in every region of the country,” he explained.

Sarnia-Lambton is pushing to become the largest low-carbon hydrogen hub in Ontario.

“My hope is that the minister is going to take away, and other ministers will be coming too, that we are part of this movement,” said Bradley.