A plan to bring natural gas to Chute-à-Blondeau and other properties along Front Road in East Hawkesbury has been cancelled.
In June 2021, the Ontario government announced it was providing $4,446,983 for Enbridge to bring natural gas services to 318 homes and businesses in the area through the Natural Gas Expansion Program. The announcement followed extensive discussions between the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Enbridge, and the Township of East Hawkesbury. The service was to be available to the community in 2025.
Enbridge Manager of External Communications and Media Relations Kendra Black confirmed that the Chute-à-Blondeau Community Expansion Project has been cancelled.
“Since the project announcement in 2021, planning forecasts have shifted in response to inflationary changes, updated supply chain data, revised installation and construction costs, and other factors,” Black said.
She said that despite efforts to create a viable path forward, the Chute-à-Blondeau project no longer meets the financial thresholds rate-regulated utilities must follow to receive Ontario Energy Board approval.
Black said Enbridge continues to highly value its relationship with East Hawkesbury and there will be ongoing collaboration in developing community-based energy solutions to meet reliability needs, support local economic growth, and facilitate future demand.
She continued by explaining that the Ontario government recently launched a consultation on the future of community natural gas expansion. The government is inviting municipalities, members of the public, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders to provide local perspectives on their unique energy needs, preferences, and perspectives on the best path forward to help support the energy needs of homes and businesses. The consultation is open until September 22.
More information about the consultation is available at https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-0923.
East Hawkesbury Mayor Robert Kirby was not available for comment about the cancellation of the Natural Gas Expansion Project for Chute-à-Blondeau.
Currently, natural gas service on Front Road East does not extend past the Carillon Gardens subdivision.
