With more than $350 million in planned investments for Chatham-Kent, Mayor Darrin Canniff said today Enbridge is playing a key role in positioning the municipality for growth through energy security.
Enbridge presented to Council two significant projects underway in Chatham-Kent, aiming to better serve residential, commercial, industrial, greenhouse and power generation customers in Chatham-Kent and beyond, and ensure that CK is making headway into the field of renewable energy generation.
The first is the Panhandle Regional Expansion Project which includes approximately 19 km of new pipeline located adjacent to an existing pipeline corridor between the Dover Transmission Station, located at Balmoral Line and Town Line Road in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, and a to-be-constructed new station in the Municipality of Lakeshore near Richardson Side Road and Middle Line.
This project is slated to cost about $300 million and, subject to regulatory approval from the Ontario Energy Board, which is needed for the project to move forward, construction will begin in early 2023 to be complete by the end of 2023 for some components, with other components to be constructed in 2024.
“As Chatham-Kent continues to grow, so do the needs of our residents, businesses and industries in terms of natural gas consumption," said Mayor Darrin Canniff. "Enbridge is ensuring that CK meets these growing demands by undertaking this significant infrastructure investment. This, paired with their recent announcement on renewable energy generation at the Ridge Landfill in partnership with Waste Connections of Canada, goes to show that Enbridge is investing in the future of CK as an important economic hub and hotspot for growth."
The second ongoing project, an investment totalling over $50 million in partnership with Waste Connections of Canada, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating a new renewable natural gas (RNG) facility at the Ridge Landfill, near Blenheim. This project aims to capture landfill gas generated by decomposing waste and transform it into carbon-neutral RNG, which will be injected into the local natural gas distribution system thereby reducing and expected 110,000 tonnes of GHG emissions per year, which is enough to heat over 40 percent of the homes in Chatham-Kent. If approved by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), construction could begin in the spring of 2023 and be complete by the end of 2023.
"Enbridge is committed to enhancing the quality of life in the communities we serve by providing families and businesses with an affordable and reliable energy choice, and advancing innovative low-carbon solutions like green fuels to support Ontario's climate change goals," said Jim Redford, VP of Energy Services, Gas Distribution and Storage, Enbridge Gas. "We're proud of our longstanding history in Chatham-Kent and are excited to partner with the municipality and Waste Connections of Canada to move these projects forward."
Combined the Panhandle and Ridge Landfill projects represent a $350M investment, which will help to unlock the economic development potential of Southwestern Ontario. They will create hundreds of jobs for skilled trades and union workers through development and construction, several highly skilled permanent operational jobs and provide over $930,000 in incremental taxes annually for local communities.
To learn more about the Panhandle Regional Expansion and Ridge Landfill Renewable Natural Gas projects, visit the Enbridge Gas project page.
Media Contact:
Eric Labadie
Marketing & Communications Officer
Chatham-Kent Economic Development Services, Community Development
519-351-7700
EricL@chatham-kent.ca
