The result of the October 21st Federal Election was a minority government with the Liberals winning 157 seats; Conservatives 121; Bloc Quebecois 32; New Democratic Party 24; and Green Party 3. All party platforms made significant policy commitments related to energy, environment, and climate change. In a minority government, the Liberals may work together with other parties on specific commitments to ensure support of their own initiatives. With the necessity of working with at least one other party to pass legislation, the EDA has provided a summary of the party platforms of interest to local hydro utilities in Ontario. Liberals Interest free loans for home retrofits Retrofit 1.5 million homes, over the next five years, by giving interested homeowners and landlords a free energy audit and then providing interest-free loans of up to $40,000 through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Create a Net Zero Homes Grant of up to $5,000 to help buyers of newly built homes that are cer ...

Professional volunteers with experience and business instinct are irreplaceable. They can help you overcome challenges, including funding issues. Recruiting volunteers is one way your association can meet more of its goals in a cost-effective manner. For our blog on volunteers we asked some of our invaluable volunteers what made them want to become a volunteer and why they stick with it. “One of the reasons I participate on the Human Resources Council within the EDA is that I am passionate about coaching and mentoring, sharing and exploring opportunities within our environment.   Through this experience, I have developed strong relationships which have helped me, our organization and the Community. Volunteering brings satisfaction and is a great networking tool for career and business success.”, Jane Hale-McDonald, Chair, EDA Human Resources Council, Energy +. Volunteers come to you for different reasons. “I have always been passionate about giving back to my commu ...

Mergers can be an excellent opportunity for LDCs to reduce costs and better serve their respective communities. To succeed, however, mergers must make sense not only on paper, but from a cultural perspective as well. Culture is intangible and difficult to articulate by people who live and breathe it everyday. In a highly-regulated industry like Ontario’s energy sector, with workforces that are frequently unionized, ensuring cultural alignment between two companies is often easier said than done. Waiting for regulator approval can be a lengthy and slow-moving process—one that can put significant constraints on how and when the organizations conduct cultural assessments. In a similar vein, depending on a union’s collective agreement, it can also be difficult to bring employees together, job share or conduct employee town halls to uncover cultural concerns and put employees at ease before the merger is approved. Nevertheless, a cohesive transition hinges on a smooth cultural integrati ...

The EDA has now launched our refreshed Power of Local Hydro Campaign to demonstrate how local hydro utilities are on the front lines of power to deliver safer, more reliable and more affordable electricity day in and day out.

Here are some recent examples of how our local hydro utility members are providing economic growth, innovation, job creation, and support for local community initiatives:

Energy+ Inc, Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro Inc., and Waterloo North Hydro Inc., teamed up with the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to sponsor the IBEW golf tournament, that was held in late May and raised $12,500 for MySafeWork.

In June, Kitchener Wilmot Hydro provided grants worth $1,500 to two students enrolled in the Electrical Engineering Technology and Energy Systems Technology Program at Conestoga College in Cambridge.

In August, the employees at Oshawa PUC gave back to the community where they live and work. The employees got together to have a BBQ lunch as a fundraiser for Simcoe Hall Settlements House’s 2019 Backpack Program. Employees then brought in a backpack or cash to pay for their lunch.

Just a few days ago, Enwin announced that their customers now have access to the all-new account management portal, myENWIN. This mobile tool is designed to keep their customers connected at their convenience and provide the best possible user experience when managing their ENWIN account. 

Hydro Ottawa is encouraging their customers to sign up for online billing to save time, resources and be a ‘paperless hero’ for children in their community.  For every customer who registers for online billing between now and December 31, 2019, Hydro Ottawa will donate $5 to the CHEO Foundation. We will also donate an additional $5 for every customer who registers for an automated payment plan by December 31, 2019.

In September, Lakeland Holdings paid it forward with more then $4,000 given out in one afternoon. The giving was orchestrated by local power conglomerate Lakeland Holdings, which includes Lakeland Power, Bracebridge Generation, and Lakeland Networks. The company had their team building day on Monday, with a total of 70 staff and 14 teams taking part.

Each team was given $250 to “pay it forward” in the area, heading out to give to individuals and organizations throughout the region.

In September, With the help of their customers, Essex Powerlines (EPL) will be donating $4,150 to the Fight Like Mason Foundation through its recent paperless billing campaign. The Power Up for Paperless campaign provided customers the opportunity to save paper and donate $10 to the “Fight Like Mason Foundation” simply by signing up for paperless billing.

We love all the work that our members do in their communities, whether it be to help send students to school, raise money for a good cause our help save our environment through paperless billing. Keep up the good work!

We would like to see these stories keep coming so that we may continue to highlight the work you do for your customers, cutting red tape and how you are constantly being innovative. 

Send your news stories, photos and relevant hyperlinks to: Emily Kirk, Communications Specialist.