Ontario starts infrastructure upgrades

Ontario has begun an infrastructure improvement program that is expected to save the city $75 million in utility and operating costs.

“Smart Ontario”  will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 10,000 tons, enough to power 1,322 Ontario homes and the equivalent of removing1,850 cars from the road, according to a statement on the city’s website.

The program began in January 2019, when an audit of Ontario’s infrastructure found obsolete equipment that needed to be replaced. It was also determined that renewable energy systems could be installed, which would save Ontario millions of dollars in operating costs.

To pay for the program the city will leverage funds from several sources, including the California Energy Commission Energy Conservation Assistance Act, Southern California Edison utility rebates, California Self-Generation Incentive Program, and a tax-exempt municipal lease at historically low interest rates.

“This investment is going to alleviate both our budget constraints and the environmental pressures we face,” Mayor Paul Leon said in the statement. “It’s a no-brainer considering these improvements came to us at extremely competitive rates, pay for themselves over time, inject more life into our local construction economy.”

Construction is underway and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2022, according to the statement.