HGTV's Brian McCourt "Gets The Dirt" On April Dig Safe Month

GUELPH, ON, April 1, 2022 /CNW/ - Every year, the warmer spring weather inspires people to start planning their next big [or small] outdoor projects. With many Ontarians focusing on home improvements, there's more digging happening than ever. Whether you're installing a new fence or planting a tree, Ontario One Call wants to remind you to request your locates online and Click Before You Dig, for any size project! Director of Education, Marketing & Compliance, Ian Simpson, says, "Projects that involved digging were up 10% last year due to people spending more time at home, and we need them to be safe." 

Brian McCourt Partners With Ontario One Call. (CNW Group/Ontario One Call)

Finding out which cables and lines, such as gas and electricity, are buried on your property is a critical first step before starting a digging project of any size. In fact, it's so critical, it's the law! If a homeowner or hired contractor chooses to dig before contacting Ontario One Call for a locate, they could find themselves in a dangerous situation, be held liable for damages, and even face additional fines. 

Celebrity contractor and HGTV personality, Brian McCourt, is partnering up with Ontario One Call to help share this important safety message and raise awareness. 

Brian is a contractor, design expert and real estate flipper, as well as host of the popular HGTV Canada show 'Backyard Builds'. He has offered his expertise as a guest star on other HGTV shows as well, including "Home to Win" and "Family Home Overhaul". With over 15 years of hands-on design and renovation experience, Brian is committed to helping families execute beautiful and safe projects in their homes and backyards. "Keeping everyone safe and avoiding unnecessary risks is important on and off the job," says Brian. "I always request a locate before diving into projects to ensure my team and the community are safe from harm associated with buried infrastructure." 

Simpson says, "Click Before You Dig isn't just for professionals or large projects. It's for anyone who is planning to dig for any reason. Even if you are planting a single tree, you could hit a utility line and get seriously injured." 

Locate requests can be made online through Ontario One Call's new and improved web portal and must be submitted a minimum of 5 business days before digging. Once this first step is taken, Ontario One Call notifies utilities and buried infrastructure owners who will send out a representative to identify hazards below the ground.

Don't take the risk. Dig Safe this season by contacting Ontario One Call. 

It's free. It's easy. It's the law. 

Click Before You Dig at OntarioOneCall.ca  

Ontario One Call is a not-for-profit organization that acts as a communications link between utility companies, underground infrastructure owners, and individuals who are planning to dig in the province of Ontario. In 2012, the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act was passed, which stipulates by law that anyone digging in the province of Ontario must contact Ontario One Call before they dig. 

SOURCE Ontario One Call

Ian Simpson, Director of Education, Marketing and Compliance, [email protected]