Residents, businesses and visitors in the Chatham-Kent area will benefit from $10-million in new local investments as a result of the 10-year Community Support Agreement signed today between Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Municipal officials say the agreement provides the region with direct community support as part of Hydro One’s transmission infrastructure expansion in the region.
The community will also receive an additional $300,000 to allocate towards charitable organizations that work to build safe and resilient communities.
“Hydro One is supporting economic prosperity in southwest Ontario through the significant investment in five critical transmission lines. This will ensure the region remains an attractive place to invest, live and work,” said David Lebeter, Chief Operating Officer, Hydro One, in a media release.
“We’re proud to partner with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. We understand that as communities grow, additional resources are needed to energize important local initiatives.”
Mayor of Chatham-Kent Darrin Canniff added: “We are excited to engage Council and community members to ensure the equitable funding of cultural and recreational priorities with these new resources. We know the transmission lines are needed to support growth in southwestern Ontario. Through this important agreement, we can share in the benefits of these critical lines by funding community-based initiatives that will directly benefit residents, businesses, and visitors of Chatham-Kent.”
Earlier this year, the Minister of Energy directed the Ontario Energy Board to amend Hydro One’s transmission license to develop four transmission lines to meet growing electricity demand in southwest Ontario.
This is in addition to Hydro One’s previous transmission designation for the Chatham to Lakeshore line in 2020.
These five transmission lines will meet the needs of new and growing industries and help attract future jobs to the region, Municipal officials added.
