Public involvement helps us engage our community in meaningful conversations as we learn to better serve our customers and support Kingston’s goal of becoming A Smart and Livable 21st Century City.
Click to enlarge
Community Involvement
Highlights
- Proud supporter of Sustainable Kingston, helping to make Kingston Canada’s Most Sustainable City.
- Support for Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College through research collaboration and class presentations.
- Employees raised $25,640 for United Way, achieving the Cornerstone Achievement Award and Sapphire Britton Smith Foundation Leadership Award.
- Support for local community gardens, including the Oak Street Food Forest (in partnership with Tomlinson) and the Sunnyside Community Garden.
Have Your Say in Shaping Electricity Plans
Community engagement was key as Utilities Kingston prepared to to submit Kingston Hydro's multi-year electricity distribution plan to the Ontario Energy Board. Utilities Kingston electricity customers were invited to provide input to help inform this plan, which will help determine the company's priorities and rates beginning on January 1, 2021.
Awards Received
Utilities Kingston is proud to be recognized in the utility industry for our work in building a better community. We were pleased to accept the following awards in 2019.
- Public Safety Leadership Award from Canadian Gas Association
- Canadian Electricity Association Centre of Excellence Recognition
Ontario Service Award for 30 years of Leadership with United Way
We are a proud supporter of the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A). The success of our campaign is due to the efforts of our employees, who lead the fundraising. Richard (Chico) Rodrigue has participated in our workplace campaign for over 30 years. His enthusiasm and creativity has inspired employees to donate and benefit our local community.
Recently, the United Way KFL&A honoured Chico's service at the Ontario Service Awards special ceremony. Congratulations, Chico, on this outstanding honour and thank you for all you do for our community.
Boards and Memberships
We’re part of the fabric of our community and proud to serve on these boards and memberships:
- Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) - Municipal Advisory Committee
- Canadian Biogas Association - Renewable Natural Gas Information Network - Member
- Ontario Water Consortium (OWC) Net Zero Working Group – Member
- SWITCH – Board of Directors
- Sensus Partner and Advisor Network – Canadian Subcommittee Chair; General Membership Vice Chair
- Plug’n Drive – Board of Directors
- Ontario Municipal Water Association (OMWA) - Board of Directors
- Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) – Kingston Region Geographic Council - Co-Chair
- Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) – Gas/Oil Distribution Stakeholder Group - Board Member
- Canadian Standards Association (CSA) – Member
- Canadian Gas Association (CGA) - Health and Safety Committee - Member
- Canadian Gas Association (CGA) - Asset Integrity Management Task Force - Member
- Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) Kingston Labour-Management Health & Safety committees – Construction - Member
- Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) Achievable Potential Study Group
- Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) Oil and Gas Pipeline Risk Reduction Committee – Member
- TSSA Natural Gas Risk Reduction Committee - Member
- Membership in the following organizations, serving on various sub-committees:
- Canadian Electricity Association
- Utility Technology Council
- Intelligent Community Forum
- Utility Standards Forum
- Electricity Distributors Association
- GridSmartCity
- Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce
- American Water Works Association
- Ontario Water Works Association
- Canadian Water and Wastewater Association
- Canadian Water Network - Municipal Consortium
- Water Research Foundation
- Kingston Home Builders Association
- Ontario Energy Association
- Ontario Good Roads Association
- Canadian Water Network – Contaminants of Emerging Concern Working Group
Sponsorship
Through local sponsorship, we give back to the community we serve:
- The Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce – Discover Success Breakfast
- Earth Day Kingston
- St. Lawrence College – Kingston Hydro Award for Sustainable Energy Leadership
- GridSmartCity-McMaster University research project
- Women of Powerline Technicians
- Great Lakes Water Festival
- Provided the water buggy in sponsorship of 40 local events, including charitable fundraisers and local festivals
Innovation through Research Partnerships
Continued improvement and innovation are our focus in these recent research partnerships. Thanks to our partners for these opportunities!
- Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and University of Western Ontario on their project “Lot-Side/Backwater Valve Research Project”, studying the reliability and maintenance of plumbing components.
- Queen’s University on their NSERC-funded project “Pipe Liner Evaluations and Connection Studies (“PipeLEACS”).
- Queen’s University MITACS project for Utilities Kingston on “Optimizing Anaerobic Digester Start-up and Operation”, and evaluation of Island Water Technologies biological activity sensor as an indicator of digester health.
- Queen’s University Technology Engineering And Management (TEAM) Project “Microplastic Presence in Municipal Water Treatment Plant Source Water”.
- Queen’s University TEAM Project “Kingston Municipal Campus Solar Carport Feasibility Assessment”.
- GridSmartCity-McMaster University “ICE-HARVEST” research project, an Integrated Community Energy system, using a small generator to generate electricity, and harvesting the waste heat from the generator to use in a community energy system.
