Union Gas Helps Students Dive Into Science

Press Release

$1,500 grant to St. Lawrence River Institute for environmental education programs

CORNWALL, ON – Union Gas is supporting the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences Dive into Science program courtesy of a $1,500 grant awarded today.

Jake Lapierre, Union Gas utility services construction manager for Cornwall, presented the grant to St. Lawrence River Institute Education Coordinator Lisa Van De Ligt today at the Institute’s location in Cornwall.

The Dive into Science program provides unique hands-on environmental courses for young people, which are designed to meet the goals of the Ontario Science Curriculum in geography, science, environmental science, chemistry and biology. Programs include: Water Quality and its Importance, Aquatic Invertebrates, Fish Ecology, Human Genetics, and DNA. This Union Gas grant will help students from eastern Ontario and western Québec learn sampling and analytical techniques used by environmental scientists as they become actively involved in river research.

“We care about the environment. That care is reflected in our company culture, whether we are building a pipeline or an energy-efficient office building,” said Lapierre. “That’s why we support important environmental educational programs in the communities we serve, such as Dive into Science, which will help young people in St. Lawrence Region become actively involved in environmental conservation.”

“Along with our research, science education and outreach are central pillars of our work at the River Institute,” said Van De Ligt.  “Thousands of students benefit by our programming every year and we are grateful to partners such as Union Gas for making this education possible.”

For more than 100 years, Union Gas has been privileged to work in more than 400 Ontario communities. Each year, the company supports the communities where its employees live and work through thousands of volunteer hours for local charitable and non-profit organizations, major charitable giving and sponsorships. Last year, Union Gas donated close to $3 million to community and charitable organizations in Ontario, including over $928,000 to United Way.  In addition, Union Gas employees, retirees, family and friends provided over 17,000 volunteer hours to help strengthen the communities where they live and work. For more information visit uniongas.com/community.

About St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
The St. Lawrence River Institute was established in 1994 and is celebrating 20 years of science and discovery on the St. Lawrence River. It was formed as a unique community partnership involving government, education, business and industry, and the Mohawks of Akwesasne. Its mandate is environmental research and education with a focus on the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence River ecosystem. It has earned an international reputation for its fresh water ecosystem research projects. For more information, visit riverinstitute.ca or find us on Twitter and Facebook.

About Union Gas
Union Gas Limited, a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers, assets of over $6.4 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across Ontario. Union Gas is one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2014. For more information, visit uniongas.com.

CONTACTS:

Union Gas Limited
Andrea Stass
Manager, External Communications and Media Relations
Ph: 519 436-5490 or 1-800-571-8446 ext. 5005490
Cell: 519 365-1010
astass@uniongas.com

St. Lawrence Rive Institute of Environmental Sciences
Patti Leather
Karen Douglass Cooper
Communications Officer
St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences
kcooper@riverinstitute.ca
riverinstitute.ca
(613) 936-6620 (ext.229)

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