Newsroom
– Utility to maintain vegetation on critical lines serving Canada’s capital –
Hydro One today announced up to $200,000 in funding to support the replanting of Ottawa’s tree canopy and beautification in communities where the utility will be working to ensure its transmission lines are free from vegetation. Of the funding announced, Tree Canada will receive $50,000 towards their Operation ReLeaf Ottawa-Gatineau Tornadoes Program to plant new trees in residential areas devastated by the tornadoes that touched down in September 2018. Hydro One will work with local organizations in affected communities to identify eligible beautification initiatives that balance environmental benefits with the safe operation of critical transmission lines.
“Safety is Hydro One’s top priority. A safe and reliable high-voltage transmission system is essential to supporting strong and successful cities like Ottawa and the surrounding area,” said Daniel Levitan, Director of External Relations, Hydro One. “We recognize that our corridors are enjoyed by many as trails and parks and we will work diligently to find a balance between creating safe, enjoyable spaces in communities and removing hazardous vegetation.”
Our highly skilled arborists will be taking a thoughtful, fair and consistent approach to ensure lines are clear of vegetation and that tree and shrub replanting projects are sustainable.
“I would like to thank Hydro One for engaging with the Ward 9 community and acknowledging the very real challenge of maintaining a safe and reliable transmission corridor and balancing that against significant replanting needs in the wake of the tornado,” said Councillor Keith Egli, Ward 9, Knoxdale-Merivale. “Their acknowledgement of community concerns and support of replanting efforts is much appreciated.”
“This disaster hit close to home,” said Mike Rosen president of Tree Canada. “As an Ottawa-based organization we quickly saw the need for helping our community replace trees that once stood in people’s yards. Like most communities, most of Ottawa’s urban forests are on private land and so we are grateful for the help of the team at Hydro One who has the expertise in managing trees and know first-hand the importance of having trees in our communities.”
The vegetation management work will be phased throughout this year in affected communities and adjacent property owners will be notified and consulted prior to work starting in their area.
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About Hydro One Inc.:
Hydro One Inc. is a fully owned subsidiary of Hydro One Limited, Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with almost 1.4 million valued customers, over C$25.6 billion in assets and 2018 annual revenues of over C$6.2 billion. Our team of approximately 8,600 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2018, Hydro One invested almost $1.6 billion in its 30,000 circuit km of high-voltage transmission and 123,000 circuit km of primary distribution networks and injected approximately $1.3 billion into the economy by buying goods and services in Ontario. We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives. We are one of only six utility companies in Canada to achieve the Sustainable Electricity Company designation from the Canadian Electricity Association. Through Hydro One Telecom Inc.'s extensive fibre optic network, we also provide advanced broadband telecommunications services on a wholesale basis. Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: H).
For further information: Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868. Our website is www.HydroOne.com. Follow us on facebook.com/hydrooneofficial, twitter.com/hydroone and instagram.com/hydrooneofficial.
