Ground is broken on $80M EPCOR Natural Gas Project (Photo by Adam Bell)Ground is broken on $80M EPCOR Natural Gas Project (Photo by Adam Bell)
Midwestern

EPCOR breaks ground on major natural gas project in Bruce County

EPCOR Natural Gas has received approval to begin construction on a natural gas distribution system for Southern Bruce County.

EPCOR President and CEO Stuart Lee was joined by Ontario Minister of Government and Consumer Services Lisa Thompson, Huron-Kinloss Mayor and Bruce County Warden Mitch Twolan, Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie and Arran-Elderslie Mayor Steve Hammell on Tuesday on a rural property near Glammis to officially break ground on the $80 million initiative.

Bruce County Warden and Huron-Kinloss Mayor Mitch Twolan wasn't shy in his admiration for Arran-Elderslie Mayor Steve Hammell and Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie, thanking both municipalities for their support in seeing the project through.

Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie admitted she had a "tear in her eye" when she arrived in Glammis for the official ground-breaking, noting it was the culmination of several years of working with other municipalities to get the project to this stage.

In his speech, Arran-Elderslie Mayor Steve Hammell focused on the rural residents that make up the area and how they'll benefit from the project, noting they're "Bringing it [Natural Gas] to the back roads".

"Right now, rural residents would have to be right on the line, but EPCOR has told us that they're committed to alleviating that, and bringing it to more people located close by," said Hammell.

The project will provide area residents, farms and businesses with access to natural gas for the first time.

Lee says EPCOR will have shovels in the ground "right away" and expects to have the full system in-service by the end of 2021.

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