Ottawa Citizen

Growing concern in Maritimes over shortages of propane supplies

FREDERICTON (CP) - Some residents of the Maritimes are becoming concerned about delayed delivery of propane, fearing they'll run out of fuel during the Christmas holidays. Storms in Ontario have delayed delivery of propane to Atlantic Canada over the last week.

Marx Miles, a restaurant owner in Fredericton, told ATV news, "we can go another two or three days and after that we're going to be in trouble."

"If we're out of propane we're in trouble here. The doors will be closed."

Most residents of the region use oil and electricity to heat their homes, but many homes use propane for a backup source of energy.

During Tuesday's power outages in New Brunswick, some residents found no propane was available to operate heating units in their homes.

"The reason we got it (propane) was to supplement electric heat," said Floyd Gray, a retired New Brunswick resident.

"We wanted it in case of electric outage in the winter time, but we come to our first ice storm and we have no gas either."

Irving Oil, the largest supplier in the region, said it expects a fresh shipment of propane from Ontario by Boxing Day.

An Irving spokesman said that if it arrives deliveries will be made the same day.

-- Rachel Gibson (rgibson@hotmail.com), December 23, 2000