OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 16, 2024 /CNW/ – Hydro Ottawa is inviting its customers to play a key role in shaping the future of Ottawa’s energy landscape. The utility has launched a public engagement survey to gather feedback on its 2026-2030 investment plan, which will guide how Hydro Ottawa prepares its electrical grid for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

As Canada transitions towards a net-zero future by 2050, the demand for electricity will grow significantly. More and more customers are switching to electric vehicles, installing solar panels, and adopting other clean energy technologies. This shift towards sustainability, coupled with our region’s growth and the increasing frequency of severe weather events, requires a grid that is not only sustainable and efficient, but also resilient.

Hydro Ottawa’s 2026-2030 investment plan has been developed to ensure that the electrical grid can meet these evolving needs. This means investing in new infrastructure to accommodate increased demand, upgrading aging equipment, and strengthening the grid’s resilience against both physical and cyber threats.

Residents are encouraged to complete the survey by October 4, 2024. Anyone interested in learning more about Hydro Ottawa’s 2026-2030 investment plan and completing the survey can do so at hydroottawa.com/ourfuture.

Hydro Ottawa has launched a public engagement survey seeking feedback on its 2026-2030 investment planThe survey is open from September 16, 2024 – October 4, 2024Customers will receive an email providing a link to the surveySignificant investment in Hydro Ottawa’s distribution systems are required in order to meet the growing demand for electricityOur four priority investment areas are growth and electrification, replacing and upkeeping aging infrastructure, modernizing our grid, and increasing grid resilienceElectrical grids across Canada will need to at least double current capacity in order to meet the projected demand in 2050This includes boosting the capacity of key assets such as substations, transformers, and overhead/underground linesAround 25 per cent of Hydro Ottawa’s assets have reached the end of their expected service life. Another 15 per cent will reach this point within the next decade.Hydro Ottawa is focusing its asset investment and maintenance programs on reducing these numbers; ultimately reducing the risk of asset failure

“We are committed to building a sustainable energy future for Ottawa, and we know that our customers are a vital part of this journey. We encourage all of our customers to participate in this survey and share their thoughts on how we can best prepare for the future. Their insights will be invaluable as we develop our investment plan.”

–       Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer

Hydro Ottawa Limited, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc., delivers electricity to approximately 364,000 homes and businesses in the City of Ottawa and the Village of Casselman. For more than a century, Hydro Ottawa has supplied its customers with clean, safe and reliable power to help build a vibrant and sustainable national capital region. As a leading partner in a smart energy future, Hydro Ottawa proudly contributes to the well-being of the community it serves through its integration of innovative and sustainable business practices, corporate citizenship initiatives, and offering best-in-class customer service.

SOURCE Hydro Ottawa

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company, announced it has appointed Caralyn Cooley as the company’s new Chief People Officer (CPO). Cooley will join FanDuel’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) reporting to CEO Amy Howe. In her role as CPO, Cooley will be responsible for the continued acceleration of FanDuel’s people strategy reflecting the company’s extraordinary growth trajectory. Cooley joins FanDuel as a seasoned multi-time CPO, with deep experience scaling global operations, shaping unique cultures and guiding teams through periods of intense growth. She will assume leadership of FanDuel’s people organization inclusive of human resources, talent acquisition, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), organizational effectiveness, employee branding, training, learning and development, compensation and employee benefits in service to the company’s Casino, Sports and Operations business units.

“I am very excited to welcome Caralyn to FanDuel,” said Amy Howe, Chief Executive Officer for FanDuel. “Throughout her distinguished career Caralyn has held global roles building highly effective people teams that drive performance and reflect the needs of today’s diverse corporate culture. Her energy and passion for sports and the gaming sector made her an ideal fit, and her arrival strengthens our executive leadership team.”

Cooley most recently served as Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer for Bowery Farming, a U.S. vertical farming company that designs and builds smart indoor environments to reimagine the future of food. Bowery’s pesticide-free produce has been in the market since 2016 and is sold in thousands of retail locations and via e-commerce platforms including Amazon. During her tenure, Bowery grew from a proof-of-concept farm with one location to the largest vertical farming company in the United States. Under her leadership, she built a talent model to scale globally, designed a total compensation strategy for all levels of the company, created a holistic diversity, equity and inclusion program and led Bowery’s business continuity response during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to Bowery, Cooley held the role of Chief People Officer for Nordeus from 2017-2019. Nordeus is the gaming studio behind Top Eleven, the world’s most successful mobile sports game. As CPO, she partnered with the company’s founders to architect Nordeus’ organizational structure, culture and talent acquisition strategy to fuel its rapid growth. In 2021, less than five years after her arrival, Nordeus was acquired by Take Two Interactive for a reported $378 million.

Cooley earned her Master’s in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University. She also holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Resource Management from State University of New York-Oswego. An avid sports fan and New York Jets season ticket holder, Cooley makes her home in New Jersey.   

About FanDuel Group
FanDuel Group is the premier mobile gaming company in the United States. FanDuel Group consists of a portfolio of leading brands across mobile wagering including, America’s #1 Sportsbook FanDuel Sportsbook, its leading iGaming platform FanDuel Casino, the industry’s unquestioned leader in horse racing and advance-deposit wagering, FanDuel Racing and its daily fantasy sports product. In addition, FanDuel Group operates FanDuel TV, its broadly distributed linear cable television network and FanDuel TV+, its leading direct-to-consumer OTT platform. FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states with approximately 17 million customers and 25 retail locations. The company is based in New York with offices in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Jersey City, as well as in Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Romania and Australia.    

FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc, the world’s largest sports betting and gaming operator with a portfolio of globally recognized brands and traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FLUT).

Media Contact:
FanDuel Group
press@fanduel.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fanduel-appoints-caralyn-cooley-as-chief-people-officer-302249302.html

SOURCE FanDuel Group

These investments are paired with a significant contribution from the Government of Quebec and the CRTC to expand wireless connectivity to rural and remote communities

SAINTE-MARIE, QC, Sept. 16, 2024 /CNW/ – TELUS is pleased to announce a $9.6 million private investment in the Chaudière-Appalaches region this year to deploy and update its networks. This investment is paired with the financial contribution of $2.7 million from the Government of Quebec and $2.2 million from the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) that will allow for the addition of 20 new 5G wireless sites in the region.

The investments from the Government of Quebec announced in April 2024 will allow for the addition of 16 new sites that will increase the service level for cellular coverage. Among the sites are the municipalities of Frampton (2), Saint-Benjamin, Saint-Cyrille-de-Lessard (2), Saint-Damase-de-L’Islet, Saint-Damien-de-Buckland, Saint-Édouard-de-Lotbinière, Saint-Malachie, Saint-Marcel, Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage, Saint-Nérée-de-Bellechasse, Saint-Omer, Sainte-Apolline-de-Patton, Sainte-Félicité and Sainte-Perpétue. Planning and preparatory work will begin in 2024. TELUS plans for the first sites to be operational in 2025.As part of the CRTC Fund, the details of which were revealed last year, two new wireless sites will be activated in Saint-Pamphile and Saint-Adalbert by the end of the year. Activation of a second site Saint-Adalbert and one in Saint-Paul-de-Montminy will begin in 2025.

Quotes

“Generational investments in our world-class networks are crucial to keeping Quebecers connected to people, information, and essential resources, as well as benefiting from all the innovation and evolution of our portfolio of products and services supported by the power of these networks,” says Nathalie Dionne, Regional Vice-President, Marketing, TELUS. “Connectivity supports the development of our regions, strengthens their appeal and accelerates their environmental transition. It also contributes to bridging the digital and socioeconomic gaps, offering every member of society the opportunity to reach their full potential. Although our private investments are crucial, we commend the commitments from the Government of Quebec and the CRTC to improve wireless coverage in our regions.”

“As a significant corporate and charity partner for several years in the region, TELUS is once again showing its commitment to bridging the digital gaps and improving the quality of life for our communities and the services they offer,” says Gaétan Vachon, Warden of the RCM de La Nouvelle-Beauce. “I’m very pleased that our region can enjoy this leading-edge technology. It will ensure a promising future.”

“The investments by TELUS in the construction of new wireless sites this year are a crucial step to strengthen our region’s connectivity and support the economic and social development of our community,” says Pascal Fournier, Mayor of Saint-Nérée-de-Bellechasse. “The improved connectivity gives us the chance to expand our potential for growth and maintain our appeal for the entire population. Thanks to these investments, the lack of connectivity will no longer be an obstacle to the development of our community.”

“Frampton is one of the municipalities in the Chaudière-Appalaches region that attracts the most tourists. Therefore, it was imperative that our community enjoy high-performing cellular connectivity across its entire territory,” says Jean Audet, Mayor of Frampton. “I’m very excited about these investments by TELUS and the Government of Quebec, not only for the sustainability of tourism in Frampton, but also for our citizens and thriving small and medium businesses.”

Sustainable investments for a better future

TELUS plans to invest $73 billion in Canada by 2028, including $10 billion in the Quebec economy, for its infrastructure, operations and spectrum licensing and to improve the coverage, speed and reliability of its world-class networks.

TELUS distinguishes itself by its ambitious vision for community giving and its team’s dedication to putting the company’s “We give where we live” philosophy into practice. From 2023 to today, the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation has given close to $100,000 to several local organizations that have an impact on youth in the Chaudière-Appalaches region for different projects, including Association renaissance des Appalaches, Maison de la famille Nouvelle-Beauce and Alliance jeunesse des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière. This generosity reflects TELUS’ core belief that business success goes hand in hand with community involvement.

The investments announced in this news release reflect TELUS’ overall capital expenditure guidance for 2024, which was released on February 9, 2024 during the company’s fourth financial quarter of 2023.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements about future events and plans, including statements relating to TELUS’ infrastructure, operations, services and spectrum investment plans, anticipated connections to our PureFibre network footprint, and our environmental targets. These forward-looking statements are made based on a number of assumptions, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them as there is significant risk that actual results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements, including as a result of risks relating to regulatory decisions and developments, the competitive environment in which we operate, and our operating and financial results.

The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to a cautionary note and based on the assumptions, qualifications and risks described in detail in TELUS’ annual management reports for 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, which are incorporated by reference herein, and in other TELUS public disclosure documents and filings with securities commissions in Canada (on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca) and in the United States (on EDGAR at sec.gov). Forward-looking statements describe TELUS’ expectations and are based on our assumptions as of the date of this news release, and are therefore subject to change. These statements are made pursuant to the “safe harbour” provisions of applicable securities laws in Canada and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Except as required by law, TELUS neither intends nor is obligated to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this document.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $20 billion in annual revenue and over 19 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.

Operating in 32 countries around the world, TELUS Digital Experience (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across strategic industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare, and others.

TELUS Health is a global healthcare leader, which provides employee and family primary and preventive healthcare and wellbeing solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS’ strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering nearly 72 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.7 billion, including 2.2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us at @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For more information, please contact:

Camille Finnegan
TELUS Media Relations
camille.finnegan@telus.com

SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.