Letters and articles

This page has links to letters and articles written by coalition members about energy issues. Click on a topic to jump to that place in the page. Click on the title of the letter or article to read it. They are listed in order of publication, most recent first.

1. Letters and submissions to political and government representatives and others
2. Articles on reducing energy demand
3. Articles and letters on renewable energy and alternatives to nuclear
4. Articles and letters on dirty energy (nuclear and fossil fuels)

For more information, visit our energy sources page.

1. Letters and submissions to political and government representatives and others

CRED-NB is actively engaging with political representatives at both the provincial and national levels. The letters reflect our current concerns, challenge current policies or regulations, and offer alternatives to reach more sustainable and equitable solutions. We include here our submissions to government consultations.

CRED-NB is active in national networks of groups with similar concerns and aims. We also share here letters we have written together with our colleagues from other provinces. Click on the hyperlinks to read or download the letters.

Open Letter to Mark Carney
CRED-NB is a signatory with 41 other groups, led by Ecojustice, urging Prime Minister-designate Mark Carney to meet the current moment with forward-looking leadership. March 13, 2025

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau
CRED-NB is a signatory with 35 other groups, led by Ecojustice, asking for a ban on thermal coal exports. Thermal coal is one of the dirtiest fossil fuel contributors to climate change. Coal power generation is the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions and one of the first fossil fuels whose use must be phased out. October 22, 2024.

Letter to federal Natural Resources Minister Wilkinson
CRED-NB is a signatory with 26 other groups stating that utility-scale electricity generation from forest-based biomass is a false climate solution that generates more carbon emissions at the smokestack than coal and also emits pollutants that harm the health of communities living near pellet plants. November 14, 2023.

Letter to federal Natural Resources Minister Wilkinson
CRED-NB addresses some major flaws in the government’s response to a parliamentary committee report on SMRs. June 21, 2023.

Request to federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Guilbeault
CRED-NB was part of a collaboration of groups that sent a request on March 31, 2023 to Minister Guilbeault to request that the ARC-100 demonstration project at Point Lepreau be subject to a federal Impact Assessment. The other groups on this request are the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, We the Nuclear-Free North, and Protect Our Waterways.

Submission to Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship committee of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
On February 14, 2023, CRED-NB made a written and oral submission to a government study on SMRs.

Comments to the NB Energy and Utilities Board
CRED-NB submitted comments in January 2023 related to NB Power’s proposed rate hike.

Submission to the House of Commons Committee on Natural Resources
CRED-NB submitted a brief on November 19, 2022 to this committee for the study on funding for natural resources industries.

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Jonathan Wilkinson
CRED-NB was one of 83 civil society organizations writing on October 31, 2022 about the Government of Canada’s role in the development of a radioactive waste management strategy

Request to federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Guilbeault
CRED-NB’s request to Minister Guilbeault on July 4, 2022 to request that the SMR demonstration project at Point Lepreau be subject to a federal Impact Assessment.

Submission to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
CRED-NB and the Canadian Environmental Law Association made a submission (written and oral) related to NB Power’s application to extend its licence to operate the Point Lepreau nuclear reactor. We presented our brief on May 11, 2022.

Submission to Environment and Climate Change Canada
CRED-NB made a brief submission to ECCC about factual errors in their discussion paper: A clean electricity standard in support of a net-zero electricity sector. The information about SMRs in the report was wildly inaccurate. April 15, 2022.

An Alternative Policy for Canada on Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning
CRED-NB was part of a coalition of groups under Nuclear Waste Watch to submit an alternative policy for managing radioactive waste in Canada for the public good. We submitted this in March 2022.

Submission to the NB consultation on the climate change action plan
CRED-NB’s submission to the NB Legislature’s Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, Feb. 24, 2022. We provide evidence on why the government’s focus on investing in new nuclear reactors (SMRs) is a false climate change solution.

Submission to the NB government’s budget consultation
On Feb. 24, 2022, CRED-NB made a submission to New Brunswick’s pre-budget consultation. We showed how investing in new nuclear (SMRs) will raise energy bills and discourage business investment.

Letter to banks
Signed by 78 groups across Canada, including CRED-NB and 12 other groups in New Brunswick, on Feb. 22, 2022. We asked the CEOs of Canada’s six big banks to drop investments in nuclear power, including so-called Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) from their fossil-free and to exclude nuclear from acceptable Environmental, Social and Governance investment portfolios.

Submission to the Parliamentary committee studying radioactive waste management
Gail Wylie represents the Council of Canadians Fredericton chapter on the CRED-NB core group. On Feb. 18, 2022, Gail prepared and submitted a comprehensive review of the governance of nuclear waste in Canada and its impacts on the environment to the Parliamentary committee on nuclear waste management.

Statement in solidarity with Kebaowek First Nation
On Feb. 16, 2022, CRED-NB signed a statement in solidarity with Kebaowek First Nation requesting a suspension of hearings to licence a radioactive waste dump near the Ottawa River.

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau
Signed by 70 groups across Canada, including CRED-NB and 12 other groups in New Brunswick, on Oct. 4, 2021, asking the PM for a moratorium on new nuclear development to be included in the mandate letters for the new cabinet.

Letter to federal Environment Minister Wilkinson
CRED-NB endorsed the letter, from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, July 10, 2021
– concerned about the New Brunswick government’s request to burn coal at the Belledune power plant past the 2030 federal deadline to stop coal energy production.

Pre-budget submission to the Government of Canada
On Feb. 18, 2021, CRED-NB made a submission to the federal pre-budget consultation.

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Natural Resources Minister O’Regan
from a network of groups across Canada, including CRED-NB, Feb. 11, 2021
– outlining our expectations for the radioactive waste policy review

Pre-budget submission to the New Brunswick government
On Feb. 8, 2021, CRED-NB made a submission to the provincial pre-budget consultation.

Letter to Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission President and CEO Rumina Velshi
from a network of groups across Canada, including CRED-NB, Jan. 29, 2021
– requesting equal time for public interest representation at CNSC meetings

Letter to Treasury Board president Jean-Yves Duclos
from women across Canada, including Susan O’Donnell from CRED-NB, Sept. 21, 2020
– letter opposing the funding of the new nuclear reactors

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau
from a national steering committee on radioactive waste, including CRED-NB, Sept. 18, 2020
– request to form a cabinet committee on radioactive waste policy development

Letter to federal Natural Resources Minister O’Regan
from a national steering committee on radioactive waste, including CRED-NB, Sept. 18, 2020
– request to meet and engage on radioactive waste policy development

Letter to leaders of all political parties in New Brunswick (individual letters)
from CRED-NB, August 29, 2020
– request to publicly support our call for a public consultation in New Brunswick on radioactive waste

Letter to federal Natural Resources Minister O’Regan
from CRED-NB, August 3, 2020
– invitation to hold public consultations in New Brunswick on national radioactive waste policy

Joint letter to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on Scope of the EA for Global First Power’s Proposed Micro-Modular Reactor at Chalk River
– signatory to a letter from the Canadian Environmental Law Association, June 1, 2020

Letter to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
from CRED-NB, June 1, 2020
– brief comment on the scope of the Environmental Assessment for the proposed SMNR in Chalk River, Ontario

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Environment Minister Wilkinson
from CRED-NB, May 27, 2020
– expresses concern that SMNRs are exempted from Environmental Impact Assessments
Follow-up letter to Prime Minister and Minister Wilkinson
from CRED-NB, October 27, 2020
– challenges the claims made in the reply letter

Letter to Infrastructure Minister McKenna
from CRED-NB, May 20, 2020
-expresses opposition to the request by Premier Higgs to spend federal Infrastructure funds on SMNRs

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Natural Resources Minister O’Regan
from CRED-NB, May 19, 2020
-expresses opposition to federal funding for SMNRs in New Brunswick

Letter to Premier Blaine Higgs
from CRED-NB, July 9, 2020
– responds to a letter from the Premier about our opposition to funding the SMNR projects in NB. The premier was cc’d on the letter to the PM and Minister O’Regan above.

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Natural Resources Minister O’Regan
by 100 groups across Canada, including CRED-NB, May 15, 2020
-asks the federal government to develop a policy on nuclear waste management

Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and Natural Resources Minister O’Regan
from Roma De Robertis, May 4, 2020
-expresses concern about potential federal funding for SMNRs

Letter to Premier Higgs: stop the small modular nuclear reactor projects
by David Thompson and Pamela Ross, January 17, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

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2. Articles and Letters on reducing energy demand

… coming…

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3. Articles and letters on renewable energy and alternatives to nuclear energy

McLean, T. & O’Donnell, S. (2023). NB Power has its head stuck in uranium. NB Media Co-op, September 1. O’Donnell, S. & Blaise, K. (2023). Will this experimental nuclear reactor escape federal scrutiny? Canada’s National Observer, July 26. (Republished by the NB Media Co-op on July 31) Ramana, M.V. & O’Donnell, S. (2023). Wishful thinking about nuclear energy won’t get us to net zero. The Hill Times, July 3. (Republished by the NB Media Co-op on July 7.) Energy technologies considered for New Brunswick are not clean, timely or affordable by Sam Arnold, Sustainable Action Group and Ann McAllister, Council of Canadians Saint John Chapter, November 16, 2022 in the NB Media Co-op

McLean, T. & O’Donnell, S. (2023). NB Power has its head stuck in uranium. NB Media Co-op, September 1.

O’Donnell, S. & Blaise, K. (2023). Will this experimental nuclear reactor escape federal scrutiny? Canada’s National Observer, July 26. (Republished by the NB Media Co-op on July 31)

Ramana, M.V. & O’Donnell, S. (2023). Wishful thinking about nuclear energy won’t get us to net zero. The Hill Times, July 3. (Republished by the NB Media Co-op on July 7.) 

Arnold, S. & McAllister, A. (2022). Energy technologies considered for New Brunswick are not clean, timely or affordable, NB Media Co-op, Nov. 22.

Option B for Point Lepreau: Alternatives to more nuclear reactors in New Brunswick
by Kim Reeder, RAVEN project, Feb. 22, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

NB Power’s renewable energy claims disputed
by Cortney MacDonnell, RAVEN project, July 7, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Changing the NB Electricity Act to support renewable energy
by Norma MacKellar and Paula Tippett, Leap4wards, February 17, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Opposition Day at the Legislature: Renewable energy bill passes to committee
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, May 16, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

“Doing nothing is going to cost more”: transitioning to a low-carbon economy in New Brunswick
by Lauren R. Korn, RAVEN project, May 12, 2019

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4. Articles and letters on dirty energy

The dirty energy articles topics include:
4.1) SMNRs
4.2) nuclear energy, general and Lepreau
4.3) fossil fuels

4.1) Small modular nuclear reactors (SMNRs)

No legitimate reason to support the controversial nuclear technology planned for New Brunswick
by M.V. Ramana and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, November 26, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

NB’s English-language newspapers regularly favour industry, pro-nuclear perspectives on small modular reactors
by Harrison Dressler, RAVEN project, July 26, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

The elephant in the SMNR room: nuclear waste
by Kim Reeder, RAVEN project, June 30, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Peskotomuhkati Chief denounces Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s public hearing process as a ‘feel good exercise’
by Harrison Dressler, RAVEN project, June 9, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Troublemaking: more questions about plutonium funding for New Brunswick and nuclear weapons proliferation
by Janice Harvey, STU Environment & Society and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, April 5, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Option B for Point Lepreau: Alternatives to more nuclear reactors in New Brunswick
by Kim Reeder, RAVEN project, Feb. 22, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

New nuclear plants (SMRs) in New Brunswick: Wild card or sure bet?
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, Jan. 27, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Questions about nuclear energy and Point Lepreau in the news again
by Kim Reeder, RAVEN project, Jan. 24, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Party election platforms: Should new nuclear reactors be part of Canada’s climate action plan?
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, and Gordon Edwards, Sept. 17, 2021 in the NB Media Co-op

Will Canada remain a credible nonproliferation partner?
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, and Gordon Edwards, July 26, 2021 in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Hampton High students support Wolastoq Grand Council resolution against nuclear development
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, May 12, 2021 in the NB Media Co-op

Premier Higgs, is he a leader or a nuclear gambler?
by Sam Arnold, Sustainable Energy Group and Ann McAlister, Council of Canadians Saint John Chapter, April 27, 2021 in the NB Media Co-op

More nuclear reactors (SMRs): A bad investment for New Brunswick
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, Gordon Edwards and M.V. Ramana, April 4, 2021 in the NB Media Co-op

Who’s minding the nuclear file? Oversight needed for New Brunswick’s risky plutonium plan
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project and Gordon Edwards, March 19, 2021 in the NB Media Co-op

New Brunswick gives a $20 million gift to our American nuclear company
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, Feb. 15, 2021, in the NB Media Co-op

Feds’ Small Modular Reactor Action Plan is a dangerous distraction from climate change mitigation
by Rick Cheeseman, VOICES for Sustainable Environments and Communities, Dec. 29, 2020, in Corporate Knights

Throne speech promise of nuclear reactor revenue does not add up
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, Nov. 18, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Why are the federal and New Brunswick governments funding prototype nuclear reactors?
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, Nov. 11, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Are New Brunswick’s prototype nuclear reactors part of a climate action plan?
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, Nov. 11, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Who should lead Canada’s consultation on radioactive waste policy?
by Gordon Edwards, CCNR, and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN, September 21, 2020, in the Hill Times

Two new nuclear reactors for New Brunswick with no adequate policy on radioactive waste in place
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, and Gordon Edwards, CCNR, September 9, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Pour une consultation publique sur les déchets radioactifs au N.-B.
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, in Acadie Nouvelle, le 31 aout, 2020

We need a public consultation on radioactive waste in New Brunswick
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, August 27, 2020 in the Telegraph Journal, the Daily Gleaner, and the Moncton Times & Transcript.

Facts vs fictions about the new nuclear reactors promoted by the PCs and Liberals for New Brunswick
by Rick Cheeseman, VOICES for Sustainable Environments and Communities, August 24, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op.

Radioactive waste: a big problem for New Brunswick’s proposed new nuclear reactors
by Gordon Edwards, CCNR, and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, July 6, 2020, in The Hill Times.

Radioactive waste: a big problem for New Brunswick’s proposed new nuclear reactors
by Gordon Edwards, CCNR, and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, June 29, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op.

The new nuclear boondoggle in New Brunswick
by Sam Arnold, Sustainable Energy Group, June 2, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

SMNRs: New Brunswick should learn from others’ mistakes
by Hannah Moore, RAVEN project, May 3, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Lights, camera, action: More nuclear energy is not a feasible energy solution in NB
by Rachel Bensler, RAVEN project, April 19, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Scientist warns against nuclear expansion in New Brunswick
by Roma De Robertis, April 18, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Nuclear energy not a ‘crutch’ in energy transition
by Hannah Moore, RAVEN project, April 14, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Gordon Edwards in New Brunswick: “The nuclear industry is desperate”
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, March 17, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Small modular nuclear reactors threaten renewable energy transition in NB
by David Thompson, Leap4wards, December 1, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

4.2) nuclear energy – general and Lepreau

Public trust eroded: Longer 10-year licence for Lepreau nuclear reactor reduces Indigenous and community input
by Kim Reeder and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, June 27, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Indigenous groups challenge New Brunswick’s costly radioactive waste legacy
by Kim Reeder and Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, June 8, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Public hearing calls attention to the threat of nuclear energy in New Brunswick. Passamaquoddy Nation responds
by Harrison Dressler, RAVEN project, May 13, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Fossil and nuclear energy regimes threaten global security
by Janice Harvey, STU Environment & Society Program, March 9, 2022, in The Hill Times

Conduct public consultation on radioactive waste in NB
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, August 17, 2020 in the Telegraph Journal

A nuclear wake-up call
by Janice Harvey, RAVEN project, March 17, 2011, in the NB Media Co-op

Chernobyl legacy and the nuclear renaissance
by Janice Harvey, RAVEN project, May 17, 2010, in the NB Media Co-op

What’s in the AECL-NB Power Lepreau refurbishment contract?
by Janice Harvey, RAVEN project, January 13, 2010, in the NB Media Co-op

4.3) fossil fuels

COP27 shows Higgs is out of touch with reality
by Jim Emberger, NBASGA, November 29, 2022, in the NB Media Co-op

Student-led fossil fuel divestment campaigns continue in New Brunswick through the pandemic
by Kelly Green and Rose He, RAVEN project, Dec. 11, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

From Colombia to New Brunswick: What does a just energy transition look like for where “blood coal” is extracted and burned?
by Cortney MacDonnell, RAVEN project, August 26, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op.

Fossil fuel divestment at STU: changing attitudes and systems
by Hannah Moore, RAVEN project, April 11, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Why grassroots activism is required to change climate policy
by Hannah Moore, RAVEN project, March 27, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Stop greenwashing our futures: a commentary on Canadian university investments
by Rachel Bensler, RAVEN project, March 11, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Ending toxic relationships at universities: divestment means shifting the perspective
by Hannah Moore, RAVEN project, March 10, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

Universities funding planetary destruction
by Hannah Moore, RAVEN project, January 31, 2020, in the NB Media Co-op

A call for the University of New Brunswick to show leadership
by Rachel Bensler, RAVEN project, December 11, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Calling all UNB alumni to support fossil fuel divestment
by Patrick Donovan, RAVEN project, October 12, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Challenging Mount Allison University’s complicity with the fossil fuel industry: Tina Oh
by Abram Lutes, RAVEN project, August 19, 2010, in the NB Media Co-op

Divesting UNB from fossil fuels: a brief history
by Abram Lutes, RAVEN project, August 13, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

The health effects of fossil fuels in Saint John
by Paula Tippett, Concerned Citizens of Saint John, July 23, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Getting off coal: report offers solutions for a “just transition” in NB
by Abram Lutes, RAVEN project, July 5, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

What is the link between Irving Oil, Saudi arms and the war in Yemen?
by Abram Lutes, RAVEN project, July 3, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Resistance to fracking by Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey leaders and opposition parties
by Susan O’Donnell, RAVEN project, June 8, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Challenging NB Power’s use of “blood coal” from Colombia
by Abram Lutes, RAVEN project, May 6, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Clear the air: carbon tax panel in Sackville
by Brian Beaton, RAVEN project, February 13, 2019, in the NB Media Co-op

Carbon pricing – Making changes today, taking responsibility and acting
by Brian Beaton, RAVEN project, December 5, 2018, in the NB Media Co-op

Opposition to shale gas returns as Progressive Conservatives threaten to lift moratorium
by Tracy Glynn, RAVEN project, November 16, 2018, in the NB Media Co-op

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