Modernized Electric Grid Coming to Parry Sound

News release


July 23, 2019                                                 Parry Sound, Ontario                             Natural Resources Canada

One of the greatest opportunities for Canada is the shift toward clean growth. By investing in smart grid technology, Canada is supporting better electricity systems that lower costs for families and create greener and more sustainable communities.

Parliamentary Secretary Paul Lefebvre, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $2.9-million investment in Bracebridge Generation Ltd.’s Smart Proactive Enabled Energy Distribution Intelligently Efficiently Responsive (SPEEDIER) smart grid project. This project will enable Parry Sound, Ontario, to eventually generate as much energy as it consumes, making it one of the first net-zero communities in Canada.

This investment will increase electricity grid reliability, defer costly upgrades, make better use of existing assets, help speed the adoption of electric vehicles and give residents greater control over how they use energy. This project will help the community significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and create jobs in an innovative and transformative field.

Funding for the project comes from the Smart Grid Program, which is part of the Government of Canada’s more than $180-billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan.

Through Canada’s national energy dialogue, Generation Energy, Canadians made it clear that reliable, affordable clean energy solutions are not a luxury but a necessity for Canada’s low-carbon future. The Government of Canada will continue to support clean energy initiatives that create jobs, support investment and industry competitiveness, advance our clean future and help realize our global climate change goals.

Quotes


“By investing in this project, our government is reducing barriers to innovation and positioning Canada as a global leader in clean technologies. Initiatives like this help build cleaner and safer electricity systems in remote and rural communities, while creating jobs and lowering costs for middle-class Canadians.”

- Paul Lefebvre
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources

“Lakeland believes that innovation in the electricity sector is the way of the future. Our SPEEDIER project, in conjunction with our partners and support by NRCan, is proof of this important transition. We look forward to implementing a successful SPEEDIER project and with lessons learned rolling out this initiative elsewhere.”  

- Chris Litschko
Chief Executive Officer, Lakeland Holding Ltd. / Bracebridge Generation Ltd.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Bracebridge Generation to transform Parry Sound into a net-zero smart community. By adding our grid intelligence solution to their toolset, Bracebridge Generation can take advantage of smarter and cleaner resources like a community microgrid and residential demand management via controllable hot water tanks and battery storage to better balance energy consumption and generation. Projects like these not only boost the reliability of a system that we rely on daily, they also help us achieve savings for customers and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We’re thankful for the government’s support in making this happen and for helping open up jobs in the clean-tech economy.”

- Hari Subramaniam
Chief of Strategic Growth, Opus One Solutions

Associated links

Contacts


Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
343-292-6100
NRCan.media_relations-media_relations.RNCan@canada.ca


Vanessa Adams
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources
343-543-7645
Vanessa.Adams@canada.ca


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