The agreement with Bullfrog Power to purchase emission-free electricity was announced Tuesday, which was Earth Day.

“We’re pretty excited about this,” Aurora Mayor Phyllis Morris said. “We are helping to reduce carbon emissions and the eco-footprint”.

Bullfrog Power will supply this clean electricity to Aurora Town Hall, the York Region Administrative Centre in Newmarket and the York Region Household Hazardous Waste Depot in East Gwillimbury.

The green electricity is estimated to cost Aurora an extra $20,000 and York Region an extra $70,000 annually over current electricity commodity rates.

A portion of the money paid to Bullfrog Power for this project will go back into renewable energy, such as wind turbines and solar energy.

Bullfrog Power comes from emission-free wind and environmentally low-impact hydro generators in Ontario that have met the federal government’s standard for renewable electricity.

The announcement took  place during a launch event from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at Aurora Town Hall at 1 Municipal Dr. (Wellington Street East and John West Way). Speakers included regional chairperson and CEO Bill Fisch, Mrs. Morris and Bullfrog Power president Tom Heintzman.

Aurora and York Region will reduce their combined annual electricity-related emissions by almost 700 tonnes annually as a result of the purchase agreement with Bullfrog Power. This is equivalent to the emissions produced by 140 vehicles on average, per year.

“We are proud to help the town and the region reduce their electricity-related emissions footprint and raise awareness among area businesses, residents and other municipalities across Ontario about the environmental benefits of green power, ” said Tom Heintzman, president of Bullfrog Power.  

Bullfrog Power is a leading provider of green electricity to homes and businesses in Ontario and Alberta. More than 200 homes and 25 organizations in York Region have signed on with Bullfrog.