Regina city council withdraws controversial fossil fuel motion

Regina city council has withdrawn the motion that would have restricted energy companies who produce or sell fossil fuel products from sponsoring or advertising with the City of Regina.

The decision was made at Wednesday’s council meeting.

Ward 6 Coun. Daniel Leblanc brought forward the initial motion during an executive committee meeting on Jan. 20.

Under the Sponsorship, Naming Rights & Advertising Policy, the proposed amendment would have put fossil fuels in the same light as tobacco, cannabis, weapons and sexual services when it comes to advertising and sponsorships.

Executive committee members voted 7-4 in favour of the motion, which received a large amount of backlash.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called the decision “absurd” and a “hypocritical attack on the hardworking workers and employers that fuel Saskatchewan’s economy.”

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and Regina & District Chamber of Commerce shared similar feelings as Moe.

Regina Mayor Sandra Masters, who was one of four executive committee members who voted against the motion, described the favourable decision as “ill-considered” and “ill-informed.”

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“So much of the sponsorship that exists for events in our city come from the oil and gas sector,” Masters said on Jan. 21, the day after it was voted on.

“We have thousands of jobs in our city that depend upon the oil and gas energy sector, both union and private. It is deeply troubling to me.”

Councillors John Findura, Lori Bresciani and Terina Shaw also voted against the motion.

The backlash had many of the councillors walk back on their initial vote, including LeBlanc, who said many of his constituents did not support his position.

“It is clear that the community is very divided. I received a lot of positive feedback, but I also learned that many people are angry and anxious about my motion,” LeBlanc said Sunday in a Facebook post.

Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli and Ward 10 Coun. Landon Mohl also walked back on their decision to support the motion.

Twenty-one delegates spoke in front of city council Wednesday, many who were against the initial motion.

Delegates included representatives from companies such as the Keystone Group of Companies, the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and Regina Chamber of Commerce.

More to come…