Union Gas

Union Gas was a major Canadian natural-gas company headquartered in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Its principal business was the distribution of natural gas to customers across northern, southwestern, and eastern Ontario, where its distribution network served approximately 1.5 million customers. The company was therefore primarily a regulated utility and energy-infrastructure business rather than a consumer-products brand. The Union Gas name was associated with the delivery of natural gas to residential, commercial, and other customers in Ontario. Its activities formed part of the province’s broader gas-utility system, alongside network infrastructure and related energy services. The company also historically offered gas-powered water-heater rentals to residential customers. That rental operation was separated from Union Gas in 1999 and placed in a sister company known as Union Energy. Union Gas became part of Enbridge’s corporate structure in February 2017. This followed the merger of its former parent, Spectra Energy, with Enbridge. The transaction brought Union Gas into the Enbridge group while the Union Gas operating identity continued for a period. In a subsequent restructuring, Union Gas Limited and Enbridge Gas Distribution were merged under the corporate name Enbridge Gas Inc. on January 1, 2019. Following the 2019 consolidation, Enbridge progressively reduced use of the Union Gas name in favor of the Enbridge corporate brand. The Union Gas brand is consequently best understood as a legacy identity for an Ontario gas-distribution business rather than as an independent active company. The underlying utility operations continued within Enbridge Gas, while the historical Union Gas name gradually disappeared from customer-facing and corporate usage. The former Union Energy water-heater-rental business also changed ownership after its separation from Union Gas. In 2021, it was acquired by CK Asset Holdings, which took a 75 percent interest, and CK Infrastructure Holdings, which took the remaining 25 percent. The business subsequently became known as Reliance Home Comfort. This transaction was separate from the consolidation of Union Gas’s gas-distribution operations into Enbridge Gas Inc.

Union Gas was a major natural-gas company in Ontario, Canada, headquartered in Chatham-Kent. Its core role was the distribution of natural gas across northern, southwestern, and eastern parts of the province. The distribution arm served approximately 1.5 million customers, making the company an important regional gas utility and energy-infrastructure operator. Beyond gas distribution, Union Gas was historically connected with the rental of gas-powered water heaters to residential customers. In 1999, this equipment-rental activity was separated from the gas-distribution business and placed in a sister company called Union Energy. The separation distinguished the regulated utility operation from the consumer equipment-rental activity, although both remained connected through their corporate history. A major change occurred in February 2017, when Spectra Energy, Union Gas’s former parent, merged with Enbridge. Union Gas consequently became a subsidiary of Enbridge. The Union Gas name continued to be used for a period after the transaction, but the business was ultimately integrated with Enbridge’s other Ontario gas-distribution activities. On January 1, 2019, Union Gas Limited and Enbridge Gas Distribution were merged under the corporate name Enbridge Gas Inc. This consolidation ended Union Gas’s existence as a separately named corporate operating business, although its infrastructure and customer-serving activities continued within the Enbridge organization. Enbridge subsequently began phasing out the Union Gas name in favor of its corporate brand. The former Union Energy business later followed a separate ownership path. In 2021, CK Asset Holdings acquired a 75 percent stake and CK Infrastructure Holdings acquired the remaining 25 percent. The operation became known as Reliance Home Comfort. Thus, Union Gas’s historical legacy spans two related but ultimately separate activities: Ontario natural-gas distribution, now associated with Enbridge Gas, and residential water-heater rentals, now associated with Reliance Home Comfort.

• 2021

  Former Union Energy business becomes Reliance Home Comfort

  [1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  CK Asset Holdings and CK Infrastructure Holdings acquired the former Union Energy business, which subsequently operated as Reliance Home Comfort.

• 2019

  Operations consolidated as Enbridge Gas Inc.

  [1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  Union Gas Limited and Enbridge Gas Distribution were merged under the Enbridge Gas Inc. corporate name on January 1.

• 2017

  Union Gas enters the Enbridge group

  [1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  Union Gas became an Enbridge subsidiary after Spectra Energy, its former parent, merged with Enbridge in February.

• 1999

  Water-heater-rental activity separated into Union Energy

  [1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  Union Gas’s residential gas-powered water-heater rental operation was separated into a sister company called Union Energy.

A regional, regulated natural-gas utility serving Ontario communities, with a large distribution network and a historical ancillary equipment-rental business.

• Energy utility

  Natural gas distribution

  Union Gas’s principal offering was the distribution of natural gas through its Ontario utility network. The business served approximately 1.5 million customers in northern, southwestern, and eastern Ontario. Its activities were centered on supplying gas to customers through regional distribution infrastructure.

• Home energy equipment rental

  Residential gas-powered water-heater rentals

  Union Gas formerly rented gas-powered water heaters to residential customers. This activity was separated from Union Gas in 1999 and transferred to the sister company Union Energy. The business later changed ownership and became associated with Reliance Home Comfort rather than the Union Gas brand.

• 2021

  Transfer ownership of the former Union Energy businessM&A

  Background

  The water-heater-rental operation had previously been separated from Union Gas as Union Energy.

  Action taken

  CK Asset Holdings acquired 75 percent of the business and CK Infrastructure Holdings acquired 25 percent.

  Aftermath

  The business became known as Reliance Home Comfort and continued separately from Enbridge Gas.

  Source

• 2019

  Consolidate Union Gas Limited and Enbridge Gas DistributionM&A

  Background

  Enbridge owned both Union Gas and Enbridge Gas Distribution after the Spectra Energy merger.

  Action taken

  The two businesses were merged under the corporate name Enbridge Gas Inc. on January 1, 2019.

  Aftermath

  Union Gas ceased operating as a separately named corporate business, and Enbridge began gradually replacing the Union Gas identity with its own brand.

  Source

• 2017

  Join the Enbridge corporate groupM&A

  Background

  Union Gas’s former parent, Spectra Energy, merged with Enbridge in February 2017.

  Action taken

  Union Gas became a subsidiary of Enbridge as a result of the parent-company merger.

  Aftermath

  The business was later consolidated with Enbridge Gas Distribution under the Enbridge Gas Inc. name.

  Source

• 1999

  Separate the water-heater-rental operationStrategy

  Background

  Union Gas operated both a natural-gas distribution business and a residential gas-powered water-heater rental activity.

  Action taken

  The water-heater-rental operation was separated into the sister company Union Energy.

  Aftermath

  The rental business developed separately from the gas-distribution company and later became Reliance Home Comfort.

  Source

• 2021

  Union Energy water-heater-rental business acquired and renamed Reliance Home Comfort[1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The former Union Energy operation was acquired by CK Asset Holdings and CK Infrastructure Holdings and subsequently operated under the Reliance Home Comfort name.

• 2019

  Union Gas and Enbridge Gas Distribution consolidated as Enbridge Gas Inc.[1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Union Gas Limited and Enbridge Gas Distribution were combined under the Enbridge Gas Inc. corporate name on January 1, 2019.

• 2017

  Union Gas becomes part of Enbridge following Spectra Energy merger[1]Union Gasen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Union Gas entered the Enbridge group in February 2017 after its former parent, Spectra Energy, merged with Enbridge.

1. 1Union Gasen.wikipedia.org