Union Gas gives back to communities with record-breaking United Way campaign

Employee donations and company match highest ever at $765,000

CHATHAM, ON, Dec. 8 /CNW/ - Union Gas today announced that its annual employee fundraising campaign has raised more than $765,000 to be distributed to 26 United Way organizations across Ontario. This is the largest United Way donation in the company's history, surpassing last year's results by almost 20 percent.

The Union Gas campaign is led by a dedicated and enthusiastic group of volunteers and all individual employee and retiree donations made during the campaign are matched dollar-for-dollar by Union Gas' parent company Spectra Energy.

"Union Gas employees really came through this year by donating an all-time record amount to support communities in Ontario", said Julie Dill , President, Union Gas. "Our commitment to United Way runs very deep and we know that every dollar raised has a meaningful and direct impact on the agencies that provide vital social services in the community."

Annual support for United Way is one of the ways the company delivers on its commitment to be the partner of choice for communities. Union Gas also offers a Winter Warmth program that provides emergency relief for low-income families who are facing financial difficulties paying their natural gas bills during the cold winter months. To learn more about the Winter Warmth program, visit uniongas.com/community.

"Now more than ever people have a need to access support services in the community," said Dill. "Through the United Way campaign and programs such as Winter Warmth, we can really make a difference for families in need."

About Union Gas

Union Gas Limited is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with nearly 100 years of experience and service to customers. The distribution business serves 1.3 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. Union Gas's growing storage and transmission business offers premium storage and transportation services to customers at the Dawn Hub, the largest underground storage facility in Canada and one of the largest in North America . It offers customers an important link in the movement of natural gas from Western Canadian and U.S. supply basins to markets in central Canada and the northeast U.S. A Spectra Energy company, Union Gas has assets of $5 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. Visit uniongas.com for more information.

For further information: Andrea Stass, Manager, Public Affairs and Media Relations, Union Gas Limited, Ph: [phone] or 1-800-571-8446 ext. 5490, Cell: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]