OTTAWA (July 10, 2019) – Today, the Canadian Electricity Association is joined by electricity companies across Canada for an industry-wide celebration of Canadian lineworkers. They are the highly trained men and women who work to keep electricity flowing into our homes, schools, hospitals and businesses, and on installing and maintaining the complex hydro grid across cities, provinces and territories. Often faced with working in extreme conditions, lineworkers are trained to work efficiently, safely and collaboratively to keep the lights on.
“The Canadian Electricity Association is proud to lead this initiative which recognizes lineworkers on an annual basis for the work they do in often dangerous conditions. We thank them on July 10th for their service and for enabling the great Canadian economy”, said Francis Bradley, President and CEO of CEA.
The campaign to implement a national day of recognition kicked off on October 2nd, 2018 with events celebrating lineworkers across Canada. The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) launched a petition calling on the government to recognize July 10th as National Lineworker Appreciation Day. The petition was tabled in the House of Commons by Daniel Blaikie on May 31st 2019. CEA will continue to pursue official acknowledgement with the Government of Canada.
Lineworkers have been around for over a century, often working in extreme heat or freezing termperatures, to build and maintain the powerlines that provide Canadians reliable, affordable and clean energy. Electricity is the great enabler of modern society, powering our businesses, schools, homes and the lifestyle to which Canadians have grown accustomed. It is also a vital part of Canada’s transition to a more sustainable economy.
“When the power goes out it’s important to take the time to think about who is out there, while the rain is pouring, working to get the power back on for us. This day is dedicated to those individuals who are essential to maintaining our electrical grid” , said Julia Muggeridge, Director of Communications at CEA.