EPCOR opens Customer Care Centre in downtown Kincardine

EPCOR officials are pleased to announce the company has opened a Customer Care Centre in downtown Kincardine.

The public is invited to the official launch of the new centre, Friday, June 23, at 12:30 p.m., at 735 Queen Street, Kincardine, states a news release, issued by the Kincardine, Huron-Kinloss and Arran-Elderslie, Friday.

The three Southern Bruce municipalities selected EPCOR as their preferred natural gas service provider, following a competitive process, later granting EPCOR franchise agreements in 2016 to build and operate a natural gas delivery system in their communities.

“We are very pleased that EPCOR is opening a Customer Care Centre at this time,” said Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie. “This will provide an excellent opportunity for the public to meet with EPCOR staff directly about their current energy requirements and costs, and how they can benefit from converting to natural gas.”

“Our municipalities have done everything they can to bring gas to our area,” said Arran-Elderslie mayor Paul Eagleson. “The final approval process is determined by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and we continue to wait for its decision on when a hearing will be scheduled to obtain the necessary final approvals.”

“It would be fair to say that we are all frustrated with the length of time the regulatory process is taking,” said Huron-Kinloss mayor Mitch Twolan, warden of Bruce County. “This has already been a multi-year process for the municipalities to develop the business case in support of bringing natural gas to our area, undertaking a competitive process, and going through an initial review hearing at the OEB in 2016. We really hope the final OEB hearing will start no later than this fall and conclude before year-end.”

In April, 2017, the province announced the creation of a $100-million Natural Gas Grant Program to help expand natural gas access to more communities in Ontario. The purpose of this program is to help improve energy affordability and support economic development, including farms and agri-business in rural Ontario.

Municipalities must indicate their support for gaining access to natural gas through a council resolution. The three Southern Bruce councils intend to pass their resolutions within the next month and send them directly to the Ontario minister of infrastructure who is administering the grant program.

“Given the extensive work our communities have already done over the past six years to promote access to natural gas, our expectation is that we will receive a significant grant from the province,” said Eadie. “In many ways, Kincardine, Arran-Elderslie and Huron-Kinloss have been leaders in changing the approach taken in Ontario to facilitate natural gas expansion."

“The OEB approvals cannot come fast enough for Southern Bruce.” said Twolan.

“EPCOR is ready to go as soon we as get the necessary regulatory approvals," said Stephen Stanley, the company's senior vice-president, commercial services. "Like our partner municipalities, we are anxious to take the next steps toward bringing long-awaited natural gas access to their communities and citizens.

“We are pleased to be opening a Customer Care Centre in Kincardine so we can meet with people directly, and provide information they will need to convert to natural gas.”

EPCOR and the municipalities also intend to host another public information session this summer in all three communities as part of EPCOR’s environmental impact review, required for natural gas expansion in the area, and to update the community on status of the OEB. Details about the next public meeting will be made available soon.