A new multi-million dollar agreement between the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and Hydro One will benefit residents, businesses and visitors in the community for the next decade.
On Monday, Chatham-Kent Council approved signing a Community Support Agreement with Hydro One, which will see the electricity provider pay the municipality $1 million each year for the next ten years. The annual payment will be earmarked for recreational and cultural purposes within Chatham-Kent.
The municipality will also receive an additional $300,000 to allocate towards charitable organizations that work to build safe and resilient communities.
The funding is expected to provide the region with direct community support as Hydro One expands its transmission infrastructure in southwestern Ontario.
Earlier this year, the Minister of Energy issued an Order-In-Council to Hydro One to develop additional transmission lines that would help to meet the forecasted rapid electricity demand growth in southwestern Ontario.
The projects include a 230-kilovolt transmission line that will run 48 kilometres from Chatham to Lakeshore, a 230-kilovolt transmission line that will run around 60 kilometres from Lambton to Chatham, and a 500-kilovolt transmission line that will run approximately 120 kilometres that will run from just west of London to Lakeshore.
“This will ensure the region remains an attractive place to invest, live and work,” said David Lebeter, the chief operating officer for Hydro One, in a news release. “We understand that as communities grow, additional resources are needed to energize important local initiatives.”
These projects are in addition to Hydro One’s previous transmission designation for the Chatham to Lakeshore line in 2020.