Thunder Bay, February 15, 2024 – Today, Hydro One Inc. (Hydro One) joined the Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation and its partners at Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute to celebrate Heart Month by introducing lifesaving Opioid Overdose Response Training in all Thunder Bay high schools as part of the ACT High School CPR and AED Program. Teachers in the region are now trained in the Opioid Overdose Response Training enhancement, empowering them to impart critical lifesaving skills to 1,200 Grade 9 students every year.
The Opioid Overdose Response Training provides teachers with resources to educate students on how to recognize and respond to a suspected opioid overdose, including the use of nasal Naloxone. ACT, with its multiple programs, has empowered more than 17,000 students with essential lifesaving skills in Thunder Bay to date.
Hydro One’s contribution will continue to support ACT in delivering the new Opioid Overdose Response Training to nearly 80 per cent of high schools in Ontario by 2025. To date, more than three million students across the province have been trained through the ACT High School CPR and AED Program.
“As we celebrate Heart Month and the implementation of the Opioid Overdose Response Training in Thunder Bay, we thank our provincial partner, Hydro One, for their continued commitment,” said Sandra Clarke, Executive Director, ACT Foundation. “With their support, along with health partners Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada, and community partners, the ACT Program gives students the confidence and skills to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies that can happen to anyone, anywhere."
“Safety is at the core of everything we do at Hydro One, and we are committed to supporting the physical, psychological, and emotional safety of Ontarians,” said Rob Globocki, Vice President, Customer Experience, Hydro One. “We are proud to support the addition of Opioid Overdose Response Training that will equip students with skills in effective emergency response and make our communities safer.”
ACT is a national charitable foundation dedicated to establishing CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. ACT establishes High School CPR and AED Programs, where teachers are trained to teach students the following: how to recognize a life-threatening medical emergency; safety issues and emergency scene management; CPR and how to use an AED; and how to respond to a suspected opioid overdose, a new aspect of the program through additional funding support from Hydro One (announced in November 2022), as well as a contribution from Health Canada and ACT’s health partners, Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada.
Hydro One’s support for ACT is provided through its Community Investment program that focuses on building safe communities in Ontario. The company supports programs, events and initiatives that focus on safety training and safe play. Established in 2000, the long-time partnership between ACT and Hydro One is dedicated to ensuring continued access to CPR, AED and now opioid-associated emergency training for teachers and students across Ontario.
Other Partner and Community Quotes
“The health and safety of our community in Thunder Bay is a necessary priority for me and so I’m very proud to introduce the Opioid Overdose Response Training for our teachers and students this Heart Month. This initiative from the ACT Foundation, with support from partners like Hydro One, will provide lifesaving emergency response training for medical emergencies.” — Ken Boshcoff, Mayor, City of Thunder Bay
“I applaud Hydro One and the ACT Foundation on their ongoing partnership, and for stepping up to ensure that our youth across Ontario are equipped with the skills they need to save lives. Providing this valuable training on how to respond in a medical emergency, especially if it's a suspected opioid overdose, will foster more confidence in our communities and create a more prepared society.” — Lise Vaugeois, MPP, Thunder Bay—Superior North
“The far-reaching impact of this critical lifesaving response training cannot be overstated. Once again, we are witnessing what is possible when experts in their fields choose to partner with our community members to enable and promote safety for everyone. Through participation in this program, our students and educators in Thunder Bay are working hard to make our community a safer place. Please join me in extending congratulations and gratitude to all those involved for their meaningful contributions.” — Kevin Holland, MPP, Thunder Bay—Atikokan
“Congratulations to ACT Foundation, their partners, and the students on a successful and vital initiative. Equipping students with the knowledge and tools to recognize and act quickly in emergency situations, including cardiac arrest and overdose situations, will undoubtedly save lives. With support from the federal government, the Opioid Overdose Response Training program highlights the role we can all play in preventing loss, encouraging people of all ages to take appropriate action when faced with an emergency situation.” — Hon. Patty Hajdu, MP, Thunder Bay—Superior North
“We’re proud to be a long-standing partner of the ACT Foundation — supporting its goal of establishing CPR and defibrillator training and Opioid Overdose Response Training in Canadian high schools, providing youth with critical lifesaving skills, and raising awareness of the importance of cardiovascular health.” — Gena Restivo, Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, AstraZeneca Canada
“Amgen is honoured to support the ACT Foundation as a National Health Partner. Rescue stories are a testament to the quality of the program and the criticality of ensuring that the education community is equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute. Together we will continue to advance excellence in science literacy, inspire the next generation, help educators to teach more effectively, and improve access to resources for teachers, students, and society at large.” — Ugur Gunaydin, Vice-President and General Manager, Amgen Canada
About the ACT Foundation
The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation is the national charitable organization establishing free CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. The program is built on ACT’s award-winning, community-based model of partnerships and support, whereby ACT finds local partners who donate the mannequins and AED training units that schools need to deliver the program. High school teachers are trained to then teach lifesaving skills to their students as a regular part of the curriculum, reaching all youth prior to graduation. ACT’s partners committed to bringing the program to Ontario are the Government of Ontario and Hydro One, and our national health partners, AstraZeneca Canada and Amgen Canada. The ACT Foundation gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) for the ACT Opioid Overdose Response Training program. For more information, visit www.actfoundation.ca or Twitter @actfoundation. #ACT2Save
Hydro One Limited (TSX: H)
Hydro One Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with approximately 1.5 million valued customers, approximately $32.8 billion in assets as at December 31, 2023, and annual revenues in 2023 of approximately $7.8 billion.
Our team of approximately 9,700 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2023, Hydro One invested approximately $2.5 billion in its transmission and distribution networks, and supported the economy through buying approximately $2.5 billion of goods and services.
We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives.
Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the TSX and certain of Hydro One Inc.'s medium term notes are listed on the NYSE. Additional information can be accessed at www.hydroone.com, www.sedarplus.com or www.sec.gov.
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