Furey should take stronger stance on getting St. Brendan's home heating oil, MHA says

The MHArepresenting the central Newfoundland island community of St. Brendan's is pushing government to find a solution that will allow residents to heat their homes this winter, following news that the delivery of furnace oil to homes is expected to end this month.

We need to find a way to make sure that the people that live in St. Brendan's are warm this winter, and look for a long-term solution," Terra Nova PC MHA Lloyd Parrott told CBC News.

"There's companies that are willing, they just need reassurances from government."

St. Brendan's, a town of about 100 people, won't have access to home heating oil after the end of September.

North Atlantic has said it will cease deliveries to homes in the community, a decision the company said came after months of searching for alternatives.

However, North Atlanticwill continue itscommercial obligations in St. Brendan's, like the school and post office.

Speaking with reporters at an unrelated event Tuesday, Premier Andrew Furey said the provincial government and Energy Minister Andrew Parsons are working to find creative ways to ensure residents can access home heating oil.

"Some are some simple ideas that we've been discussing, like ensuring that the fuel truck has access to the ferry so that the fuel truck doesn't get stranded on St. Brendan's, that there's priority given to that particular vehicle, as an example," Furey said.

But Parrott said that doesn't go far enough especially because he says fuel trucks are already given priority on ferries.

"I think they're being misled there. Because the ferry has always given priority boarding to the oil supplier, and they've stayed there until the oil was supplied," he said.

"What this boils down to is there has been no solutions."

He wants to see Fureystep in to make sure access to home heating oil is available as the province did when gasoline deliveries to Fogo Island and Change Islands were in jeopardy.

"They're still delivering fuel to the island and their provincial contracts. And perhaps it's time for government to step in and say, 'If you're not willing to do it all, then you're not going to be able to do any of it', and they can find someone else who can."

Parrott said he's been trying to find solutions of his own, telling CBC News he set up a meeting between St. Brendan's MayorBill Broderickand a company thatinstalls heat pumps as an alternative to home heating fuel.

He hopes the province would be willing to subsidize the installations to help residents as it has before in other areas but acknowledged it wouldn't help residents this winter.

"It's not about creativity. It's about fixing a problem," he said.

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