Gas delivery hikes and the lack of local addictions treatment were the top concerns raised at town halls hosted this week by Skeena MLA Claire Ratt茅e in Kitimat and Terrace.
鈥淚t seems to be one of the things I鈥檓 getting the most emails about right now,鈥� Ratt茅e said of the Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (PNG) rate increases. 鈥淧eople can鈥檛 afford an increase. They just can鈥檛.鈥�
The PNG delivery charge hike, which took effect May 1 on an interim basis, could raise average residential bills by about $23 per month. While the company says a federal carbon tax rollback will reduce the net impact to around $1, municipal leaders and residents across the region have voiced frustration. PNG describes the change as the start of a three-year rate 鈥渞eset鈥�, projecting a 53 per cent total increase through 2027.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to be reaching out to PNG about this to get a little more clarity,鈥� Ratt茅e said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got concerns around the timing鈥攁fter the carbon tax pause, is this just the industrial carbon tax finding its way into our pocketbooks?鈥�
Kitimat council has gone further, passing a motion to explore forming a municipally owned utility and potentially leasing PNG infrastructure.
In both town halls, Ratt茅e鈥攚ho also serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Mental Health and Addictions鈥攕aid residents raised deep concerns about access to treatment.
鈥淲e just don鈥檛 have access,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are only seven treatment beds in Prince George for the entire Northern Health region, and they鈥檙e all supportive recovery beds. We don鈥檛 have any clinical treatment beds.鈥�
Supportive recovery beds, she said, are generally non-clinical and peer-led. 鈥淭hey can work for some people, but for most, they鈥檙e not enough. And detox without follow-up care? That鈥檚 contributing to overdoses. People relapse and it鈥檚 often fatal.鈥�
Ratt茅e said she obtained provincial data during budget estimates that confirms the gaps in care. 鈥淔or the whole region, there鈥檚 no access to evidence-based, structured treatment,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd what鈥檚 even more unacceptable is the idea that people from the North are expected to go to the Island for care.鈥�
She said families in her riding have contacted her directly, looking for help. 鈥淚鈥檝e had families from the area reach out asking where they can send someone for help, because they know there are no nearby options.鈥�
Even when publicly funded beds are available, Ratt茅e said the financial structure puts low-income residents at a disadvantage. 鈥淭he province pays for just part of the cost鈥攁nywhere from a third to two-thirds鈥攕o treatment centres have to find other ways to cover the rest. That鈥檚 why clients who can pay privately are often admitted first.鈥�
Despite raising the issue multiple times in the legislature, Ratt茅e said responses from the government have been limited. 鈥淚 get a lot of, 鈥榊es, we鈥檙e aware,鈥� or, 鈥榃e need to do more,鈥� but that鈥檚 about it.鈥�
Still, she said, she intends to keep pressing the issue. 鈥淚鈥檓 not about to stop now,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just getting started.鈥�
