The Government of Ontario under the Energy Competition Act 1998 caused the deregulation of the electrical industry and the structure of your local utility was altered.
Looking positively to the future, the former Grimsby Hydro-Electric Commission set up a transition committee consisting of Council and Commission members. This transition committee developed a plan and put it into place. It moved the former Grimsby Hydro-Electric Commission from traditional supply of electricity to our exciting new vision for the future of global data delivery.
To accomplish the plan, we were required to incorporate into several businesses under the Ontario Business Corporation Act no later than November 1, 2000. Grimsby Hydro-Electric Commission was dissolved and the assets transferred into the new corporations November 1, 2000. The name was changed, with our creation of a responsive series of corporations and divisions to better serve our customers.
Here are the new "Grimsby Hydro" companies, and what they do.
Niagara Power is the name of our new community-owned holding company. Niagara Power oversees the subsidiaries below, and reports on their activities to the Town of Grimsby, the shareholder. In electricity, Niagara Power preserves Grimsby's local control and maintains our history of demonstrated efficiencies- we can do it better and more effectively than other companies. Moreover, Niagara Power ensures Grimsby will be on the leading edge of exciting new services - a key component of a community with vision.
Grimsby Power takes on all roles you've known us to handle, including line installation, maintenance, administration and billing. For many homeowners and businesses, Grimsby Power may be your most convenient and lowest cost choice for the supply of electricity. There are no contracts to sign and life continues, as you know it.
Grimsby Hydro is the competitive affiliate. This is where the Town exercises an exciting new vision, as deregulation allows for our expansion into new services. The first high-speed fibre-optic Internet connectivity for business within the Regional Municipality of Niagara was initially in Grimsby. Grimsby Hydro had the vision to expand throughout Niagara. As one of the fastest communication links in the world, fibre-optics from Grimsby Hydro easily outpaced any phone or cable connection. The Grimsby fibre-optic ring was in place in early 2000 with the full rollout in January 2001. As we grew, Grimsby Hydro moved with other utility partners to form a Region wide fibre-optics telecommunications business known as Niagara Regional Broadband Networks.
Get to know us - all over again!
When you call any of these companies, you're still dealing with the people who have helped build Grimsby for over 63 years. But now, in a deregulated environment, people equipped with the tools, technologies, and knowledge are available to serve you better - in electrical energy and beyond.