Chatham-Kent will soon start to see the benefits of a new $10 million partnership with Hydro One.
On Monday, municipal councillors approved signing off on a 10-year community support agreement with Hydro One as the company starts to expand its infrastructure in the region.
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 the growing demand in southwestern Ontario.
These four new lines are in addition to Hydro One's previous transmission designation for the Chatham to Lakeshore line in 2020.
"The community will also receive an additional $300,000 to allocate towards charitable organizations that work to build safe and resilient communities," read a release Tuesday morning.
According to a report presented to council, a specific reserve account will be created for a $1,000,000 community benefit contribution as well as a separate account for an annual $30,000 donation.
"The contribution of $1,000,000 annually for ten years is to be used for recreational and cultural purposes within Chatham-Kent," read the report. "Administration intends to provide Council with recommendations via future reports on how the funds could be distributed to achieve benefits across the municipality for recreational and cultural purposes."
The upcoming infrastructure projects will include a 230-kilovolt transmission line that will run 48 kilometres from Chatham to Lakeshore, a 230-kilovolt transmission line that will run 60 kilometres from just south of Sarnia to Chatham, and a 500-kilovolt transmission line that will run approximately 120 kilometres from London to Lakeshore.
"This transmission project will provide important electrical capacity within the province, provide tangible benefits to the communities of Chatham-Kent, and avoid costs that Chatham-Kent would otherwise potentially incur as a result of the projects," read the report.
“We are excited to engage council and community members to ensure the equitable funding of cultural and recreational priorities with these new resources,” said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. “We know the transmission lines are needed to support growth in southwestern Ontario."
