New Brunswick’s climate change plan is just over five years old, passed in December 2016 under Brian Gallant’s Liberal government. It’s now due for a required five-year review, and the Higgs government has opened up a consultation period for New Brunswickers to weigh in. That period closes this Thursday at midnight.

There’s not much to indicate that this consultation is an important process. There’s no roadshow of virtual or in-person community consultations, no discussion papers published. A legislative committee has heard from experts and officials, including the town of Sackville’s CAO Jamie Burke, but for the general public input, there’s simply a link to a list of questions, and an email address to send further input. It’s not exactly an inspiring public consultation process.

But despite the low profile, Sabine Dietz says that public consultation is important. Dietz is director of CLIMAtlantic, a new Sackville-based clearing house for information and analysis about climate change in Atlantic Canada. She’s also a Sackville town councillor who ran on a platform calling for robust response to the climate crisis at all levels.

“It does matter,” says Dietz of the public input process. “It’s like you write a letter, and people and politicians know that there's 10, 100 more people that think the same way.”

Dietz also shared some of her personal requests for the province's next five year climate plan, including the removal of roadblocks for small scale solar and wind development, and further investment into energy efficient renovations, especially for low income people.

Comments on the provincial climate change act are being accepted until Thursday at midnight. You can find the survey questions here, or email your thoughts directly to climatechangeNBchangementsclimatiques@gnb.ca.