Sani-Estrie, Sherbrooke, Quebec, and natural gas distributor Gaz Métro, Montreal, Quebec,opened the first public refueling station for compressed natural gas (CNG) has been set up in the Eastern Townships. The fueling station is the tenth such installation to join the Blue Road, a network of public natural gas refueling stations. Located at 405 Rodolphe-Racine Street, in Sherbrooke, and operated by Sani-Estrie, this station will be accessible to the public, more specifically to transportation companies and municipalities who use or who wish to adopt this alternative fuel.

"Economic recovery is a priority for our government. We want to modernize Québec's economy through the energy transition announced in the 2030 Energy Policy. Thus, ensuring access to natural gas to as many regions as possible will enable us to achieve the objectives that we have set for ourselves. I am delighted about the installation of a public natural gas fueling station in the Eastern Townships, since the use of this resource will help promote this transition to a low-carbon economy," says Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Plan Nord, Pierre Arcand.

Sani-Estrie made the switch to natural gas just over a year ago when it acquired nine new CNG trucks, with the goal of converting 30 more over the next five years. "We are very pleased to offer a new CNG fueling point for Québec-based and particularly local transporters, so they may benefit, as do we, from the numerous advantages of natural gas, especially from an economic and environmental perspective," says Sani-Estrie's vice president, Sylvain Gagné. "It is crucial for companies such as ours to remain at the leading edge of industry trends in order to stand out from other players in the sector."

This new refueling point on the Blue Road will allow companies who fill their trucks with this alternative fuel to travel from the Eastern Townships to Montreal and have the possibility of reaching the U.S. "The proximity of highways 10 and 55 made Sherbrooke a prime location for pursuing the deployment of the Blue Road," says Martin Imbleau, vice president, development and renewable energies at Gaz Métro. "We salute Sani-Estrie for their decision to make the switch to natural gas and to provide an additional fuel point on the Blue Road."