Enbridge Gas Distribution has chosen the second day of the second month to mark a milestone. The natural gas utility now delivers safe, clean and affordable natural gas to more than two million Ontario residents and businesses.
Serving customers in more than 100 Ontario communities including Niagara Falls, Barrie, Toronto and Ottawa, the company marks this two million strong milestone in Ottawa where it kicks off its annual sponsorship of Ottawa's Winterlude festival with a community pancake breakfast today. The occasion will also be recognized with a donation to Options Bytown, a non-profit organization in Ottawa that provides housing and support for people who need help to live independently.
"Enbridge Gas Distribution is committed to delivering the value, safety, reliability and community involvement that people have come to expect from the utility since 1848," said Guy Jarvis, president of Enbridge Gas Distribution. "We're also proud to deliver the economic and environmental value of natural gas to a growing number of Ontario homes and businesses."
"It means so much to us to be recognized by our community partners at Enbridge Gas Distribution," said Lorraine Bentley, Executive Director of Options Bytown Non-Profit Housing Corp. "We at Options Bytown work towards creating decent, safe and permanent housing for people who have been homeless by combining housing and supports. This gift will significantly help us to do our work and support our tenants."
Today, natural gas provides significant economic benefit to Ontario. For customers purchasing natural gas from Enbridge Gas Distribution for home and water heating, natural gas is about 69 per cent less than electricity and about 73 per cent less than oil.* The total annual bill for those natural gas customers is also about $400 lower today than it was five years ago.**
In addition, natural gas is more than 40 per cent less expensive than gasoline and some business customers with natural gas vehicle fuelling stations for return to base fleets are achieving additional savings. Enbridge's own fleet saved almost one million dollars in 2012 by using natural gas. If just 10 per cent of vehicles in Ontario used natural gas, it could result in approximate fuel cost savings of $1 billion a year.***
Natural gas also has low emissions compared to other carbon-based fuels. In fact, according to the Canadian Gas Association, natural gas greenhouse gas emissions are 50 per cent less than coal, 45 per cent less than oil, and 30 percent less than diesel.
Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. has a more than 160-year history and is Canada's largest natural gas distribution company. Enbridge Gas Distribution delivers safe, reliable natural gas in 100 communities across Ontario and is a leader in promoting energy efficiency programs. It is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution and one of the 2012 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. Enbridge Inc. has been selected as one of Canada's Greenest Employers for 2012 and is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers. Enbridge Gas Distribution and its affiliates distribute natural gas to 2 million customers in Ontario, Quebec, New York State and New Brunswick. For more information, visit our website.
* Natural gas rates are based on Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.'s approved residential rates effective January 1, 2013. Electricity rates are based on Toronto Hydro's Ontario Energy Board-approved rates effective November 2012 and do not include the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit. Oil prices are based on publicly posted Statistics Canada historical rates up to and including rates available as of October 2012. Costs have been calculated for the equivalent energy consumed by a typical residential customer and include all service, delivery and energy charges. HST is not included.
** Calculations are based on a typical residential customer who purchases natural gas from Enbridge Gas Distribution and uses about 3,064 cubic metres of natural gas a year for home and water heating. Historical calculations use typical monthly consumption and Enbridge Gas Distribution's residential rates in effect from April 2007 to March 2008 as compared to those in effect April 2012 to March 2013.
*** Savings of 40% are based on a retail station price of natural gas fuel price of about 70 cents per litre equivalent and a gasoline price of $1.20 per litre. Fuel cost savings for 10% of vehicles in Ontario operating on natural gas is based on Statistics Canada data that showed Ontarians used five billion litres of diesel fuel per year and 15.6 billion litres of gasoline. Savings are based on 50 cent per litre differential between natural gas and gasoline, and a 45 cent per litre differential between natural gas and diesel fuel.