The planned expansion of natural gas availability throughout much of Ontario is good news for Chatham-Kent, according to Mayor Randy Hope.
Hours after CK officials presented a brief to provincial officials at the Rural Ontario Municipalities Conference recently, Ontario’s Minister of Energy Glenn Thibeault announced $100 million in natural gas expansion funding under the province’s Moving Ontario Forward plan.
“It’s clear the province has listened to Chatham-Kent’s voice and the voices of our partners, including the Western Ontario Warden’s Caucus, the Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture,” Hope said in a media release.
In the past 24 months, Chatham-Kent and surrounding areas have turned away millions of dollars in greenhouse construction with a ripple effect of nearly 1,200 jobs due to the lack of natural gas delivery to the affected areas.
Municipal CAO Don Shropshire said the funding will impact the community in several ways, not the least of which is that it provides recognition of the natural gas sector and the role of Union Gas in providing the service.
“Union Gas is critically important to Chatham-Kent,” he said in a release. “It is the single largest private sector employer and taxpayer in the community, but the benefits go far beyond economics. Union Gas and its employers have an outstanding record of community service whether it be to the United Way or the countless boards and volunteers groups in which they participate.”
