Essex County Council is expressing concerns about a proposed natural gas pipeline.
Council members on Wednesday heard from Enbridge Gas representatives about an $88-million plan to replace a 60-kilometre gas line spanning most of Essex County.
The project would replace an aging line to maintain service in the area, but Lakeshore mayor Tom Bain says the pipeline should be upgraded so new developments in the County can better access natural gas.
"As recently as three years ago, we were in a situation building an industrial site. Union Gas had to come forward and build a secondary station just to supply enough gas,” notes Bain.
The Lakeshore mayor notes there is a building boom for residential and industrial development in various areas of Essex County.
“I've got a lot of concerns that we're not going to have the gas that we're going to need in three years, five years from now," adds Bain. “If they really want to prepare for the future, they need a larger line.”
Bain notes the current natural gas pipeline handled development in the County 50 years ago.
If the pipeline replacement is approved, Enbridge says construction will begin in mid-2020 and create “hundreds of temporary local jobs.”
