The federal Competition Bureau is investigating the Canadian Gas Association to determine whether it made misleading statements about the environmental impact of natural gas. The bureau confirmed Thursday that it has launched an investigation into “alleged deceptive marketing practices” by the industry lobby group. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by six people associated with the advocacy group Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). The complainants allege the Canadian Gas Association — whose members include companies such as Enbridge Inc., FortisBC and ATCO — is misleading the public with its “Fuelling Canada” marketing campaign. The campaign promotes the use of natural gas as a low-emission form of energy. On the campaign’s website, the lobby group states that “Canada’s natural gas industry is working 24/7 to ensure affordable, clean and reliable energy for families and businesses.” But the Canadian Association of Environmental Physicians argues that natural gas is not as “clean” as the campaign makes it out to be. He points out that natural gas is a fossil fuel that contributes to global warming. “Gas mining and production also pollutes the air and contaminates water sources, while closer to home, gas appliances cause indoor air pollution and pose a serious risk to children’s respiratory health,” said Dr. Melissa Lem, member of CAPE and one of the complainants. Lem said environmental groups are frustrated by what they believe is a wave of corporate “greenwashing” in recent years. Greenwashing is a term used to describe a form of marketing spin aimed at misleading the public that a company’s products or services are environmentally friendly. He added that environmental groups increasingly believe they need to stand up against misleading claims. “We realize that we have to use every tool in the toolbox at the moment, and competition bureau complaints are a powerful tool,” Lem said. According to the US Energy Information Administration, burning natural gas for energy results in fewer emissions of nearly all types of air pollutants and carbon dioxide than burning coal or petroleum products. But the federal agency says natural gas production and extraction is responsible for leaking methane — a potent greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in 2019, methane emissions from natural gas and oil systems and from abandoned oil and gas wells were the source of about 29 percent of total US methane emissions and about 3 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse in the US. In Canada, environmental groups have called on that country’s energy sector to do more to reduce so-called fugitive emissions — leaks of methane that can occur during the process of drilling and extracting natural gas. However, on its website, the Canadian Gas Association said the natural gas industry is working to develop technologies that reduce emissions across its operations. He said recent innovations include hybrid heating, combined heating and carbon capture in residential/small-scale businesses — all of which have the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of natural gas use. “CGA will work with the Competition Bureau and is confident in its position,” the industry group’s chairman and chief executive, Timothy Egan, said in an emailed statement. “Natural gas plays an important role in Canada’s energy mix, meeting 38 per cent of Canadians’ energy needs and growing. Canadians need access to energy they can rely on, and natural gas meets that need.” The federal competition bureau is required by law to investigate formal complaints related to misleading advertising as long as they meet the technical requirements set out in Canada’s Competition Act. In September, the bureau confirmed it was investigating a related complaint of alleged “greenwashing” in advertising, this one in relation to RBC. The RBC investigation was launched in response to a complaint by six people, backed by environmental groups. The complaint alleges that the bank’s publicly stated goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and lending by 2050 is misleading, given that RBC continues to provide significant financial support to the fossil fuel sector. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 10, 2022.
