Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating Statement on City of Vancouver natural gas ban

TORONTO, May 1, 2017 /CNW/ - Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) is a trade association representing more than 260 manufacturers and distributors of plumbing and heating products across Canada.

The City of Vancouver claims in an April 29, 2017 news release that industry consultations took place ahead of changes that remove natural gas as a practical consumer choice. As an industry association representing equipment manufacturers and suppliers, we were not consulted and our attempts to be brought into consultation processes were ignored.

By choosing not to engage with those who deliver essential heating and plumbing solutions for consumers and businesses, the City is creating incalculable cost and inconvenience for residents, businesses and institutions in Vancouver.

The rapid changes now being required, with no consultations with industry, are bound to create supply chain issues with manufacturers, and distributors left scrambling to supply the required products. This can result in delays and, even more importantly, added costs for Vancouver residents. Affordability and fuel choice also continue to be of concern to us. Space and water heating with electricity is being forced onto the building owners, which will result in much higher operating costs for the end user.

CIPH continues to work closely with federal, provincial and municipal governments on code and regulatory issues. Although we are a non-partisan organization that is not taking sides in the provincial election, we applaud acts of leadership that restore to the City of Vancouver's processes a responsible attitude toward citizen affordability and collaborative relationships with industry.

About CIPH: The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH), founded in Montreal in 1933, is a not-for-profit trade association that is committed to providing members with the tools for success in today's competitive environment. More than 260 companies are members of this influential Canadian industry association. They are the manufacturers, wholesaler distributors, master distributors, manufacturers' agents, and allied companies who manufacture and distribute plumbing, heating, hydronics, pipe, valves & fittings, waterworks, and other mechanical products. CIPH wholesalers operate more than 700 warehouses and showrooms across Canada. Total industry sales exceed $6 billion annually.

www.ciph.com | Twitter: @ciphnews

SOURCE Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating

Media contact: Robert Waters, Technical Consultant, Codes and Standards Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating 295 The West Mall, Ste 504, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9C 4Z4, Tel: [phone], email [email protected]