Natural gas coming soon to residents in St. Charles
Life is about to get more affordable for those living in the community of St. Charles.
On Wednesday morning, the provincial government announced its list of communities that will benefit in Phase 2 of its Natural Gas Expansion Program. St. Charles is set to receive more than $6 million.
The province has communicated with Enbridge and plans are now in the works to build a pipeline that will bring gas to 162 homes in the town.
That's good news for municipal councillor and homeowner Richard Lemieux.
"This is going to be a great chance for people to change over to a cheaper and more efficient system – fantastic … for us," Lemieux said.
Lemieux only recently made the switch to propane. Up until that point, like many in the community, he was using oil to heat his home.
He'd have to get his drum filled once a month, and he's certainly not going to miss it once it's gone.
"No, no, I guess not because it's always something ... I never had a problem getting it filled but you always wonder, well, are they going to remember to fill the tank this month," he said.
No one was happier though than the municipality's mayor.
Lobbied for 10 years
"Very big day -- it's something that myself have been lobbying the government for the past 10 years to bring natural gas to the residents of St. Charles and today's announcement of over $6 million is great news," said Mayor Paul Schoppman.
Schoppman said he never gave up and was confident the province would come through for the residents. He was only told about the news about an hour before the news conference.
Work on most of the projects is slated to start in 2023. The program is about expanding natural gas to northern, remote and Indigenous communities.
The hope is that it will benefit both taxpayers and local businesses.
"We've prioritized broad distribution across Ontario to as many homes and businesses to keep the cost of energy low, to support job and to attract new investment," said Associate Minister of Energy Bill Walker
"With roughly 5,000 jobs and $1.5 billion in local investment, this government is putting people first and putting more money in people's pockets," said Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
It's unclear when work will start on the St. Charles pipeline. It's also important to note, it's unclear how much work is left to be done to expand natural gas coverage to the entire region.
St. Charles residents, however, said they're ready to start reaping the benefits.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.