Three southern Bruce County municipalities have approved and signed an agreement to give EPCOR Utilities the right to distribute natural gas in their region.
Kincardine, Arran-Elderslie and Huron-Kinloss selected EPCOR as their preferred company to bring natural gas to their communities last September.
That followed a six month competitive Request for Information process asking for developers to construct, own and operate a new natural gas distribution utility.
Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie says they are pleased that EPCOR continues to move forward with what she calls a critical community initiative.
She says it would be a significant economic boos for the region.
The Ontario Energy Board is holding a public hearing in April to consider issues related to natural gas expansion.
Whatever rules are established, they will apply to all players including EPCOR.
Once the board makes a decision in the fall, EPCOR will create a Leave to Construct Application to the Energy Board for approval to build a new natural gas network in Bruce County.
EPCOR considers the Municipal Franchise Agreement as an important milestone. “We are pleased that the agreements have been approved by each of the municipalities,” said Stephen Stanley, EPCOR Senior Vice-President, Commercial Services. “It will ultimately bring natural gas to these communities. We can now proceed to the next phase, which is preparing and submitting our applications to the Ontario Energy Board.”
Huron-Kinloss Mayor Twolan said “ our three municipalities began exploring the topic of gas expansion a few years ago with one simple goal in mind: to bring natural gas to as many of our residents, farms and businesses as possible. We did not expect to change the entire provincial regulatory landscape in the process, but this is exactly what appears to be happening. If our efforts can help other municipalities in achieving gas service as well, then we are very pleased to have done so”.
