With gas prices rising due to the ongoing US conflict with Iran, staff at Renfrew County are working hard to cut back on fuel consumption.
CAO Craig Kelley informed the mayors and reeves of Renfrew County last week that senior staff have started a “corporate fuel conservation initiative aimed at reducing unnecessary fuel use while maintaining service delivery levels.”
“Given the county’s extensive operational footprint, including paramedic services, housing, and other fleet-dependent activities, increasing fuel costs put direct pressure on operating budgets,” Kelley stated in a report to the county’s corporate services committee.
“While municipal governments can’t control fuel pricing, operational practices can affect overall consumption.”
Kelley highlighted that county vehicles travel over three million kilometers each year and consumed around 675,000 liters of fuel in 2025.
“Though total consumption varies based on operational needs, even small reductions in fuel use can lead to significant savings.”
The initiatives outlined in the county’s plan include:
Reinforcing fuel-efficient driving habits and reducing unnecessary idling; Coordinating travel and promoting virtual meetings when suitable; Reviewing how the fleet is used and ensuring vehicles are properly assigned; Maintaining vehicles for better fuel efficiency; and Tracking fuel usage trends across departments.
“Future decisions about replacing fleet vehicles will also take into account fuel efficiency and lifecycle operating costs.”
Kelley mentioned that rising fuel prices are likely to influence county tenders for roadwork and other projects.
He added that staff will “monitor impact before approval(s).”
The members of the county council expressed their gratitude to Kelley for the report, noting its “very timely” nature.
Admaston Bromley Mayor Michael Donohue shared that he regularly receives deliveries of fuel for his farm business.
Over two weeks before and after the war began, he noted a 25 percent increase in his price per liter.
On his latest bill, he received 2,000 liters of fuel.
“At 30 cents a liter more than my previous fill-up, those costs are really starting to add up. And my usage is quite small compared to the County of Renfrew,” he remarked.
Donohue also questioned whether these rising prices would affect contracts already awarded by the county for 2026.
Lee Perkins, director of public works and engineering for the county, confirmed that they include an escalating clause in contracts for items like asphalt but mentioned that because of gas price fluctuations, “we won’t know all implications until October.”
County Warden Jennifer Murphy suggested that staff should utilize one of the two hybrid vehicles owned by the county as much as possible.
She shared how she and Kelley recently drove one to Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus meetings in Kingston saying “that worked really well.”
“So using those more often instead of defaulting to pickup trucks makes sense. I believe anything we can do right now (would be beneficial),” she added.
“I’m worried I might need more fuel soon.”
Vance Gutzman is a Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter working out of the North Renfrew Times. LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.
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