New Brunswickers misled on shale gas moratorium impact, Tories allege

Opposition Leader Bruce Fitch says the New Brunswick government misled the public about the impact of a moratorium on shale gas development.

Fitch says a letter from SWN Resources to the provincial government, dated Oct. 14, indicated that a moratorium would effectively bring the industry in New Brunswick to a halt.

But even after that letter was received, Fitch says Premier Brian Gallant and the Natural Resources minister continued to say the shale gas sector would be able to proceed.

"They knew that it would come to a full stop. Yet in many instances, they went to the public and they said, 'No, don't worry, the industry will continue to go forward after we have this moratorium and study it.' And the letter of October 14th indicated clearly that that was not the case,'" Fitch said in the legislature on Thursday.

Gallant said the government made it clear there would be no fracking under the moratorium, but that existing wells, according to the industry, would continue to produce gas.