Hydro One named Presenting Arena Sponsor of 2018 Little Native Hockey League tournament

ORILLIA, ON, Feb. 21, 2018 /CNW/ - Today at a gathering of more than 80 Chiefs, Councillors and representatives from First Nations communities, Hydro One announced its sponsorship of the 47^th Little Native Hockey League tournament.

"Building on our long-standing relationship with the Little Native Hockey League, Hydro One is proud to be this year's Presenting Arena Sponsor," said Derek Chum, Vice President, Indigenous Relations at Hydro One. "Through the transformational power of sport, these young athletes are developing leadership and teamwork skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives."

The tournament will take place in Mississauga from March 11 ? 15 and welcomes more than 3,500 competitors from First Nations communities throughout Ontario. This year's event will be the largest in the organization's history.

"As part of our larger commitment to supporting the Indigenous communities that we serve, Hydro One recognizes the role of sport in developing tomorrow's leaders and building strong communities," said Chum while speaking at Hydro One's second annual First Nations Engagement Session. "Everyone at Hydro One will be cheering these young athletes on as they battle for the championship."

Hydro One serves 88 First Nations communities in Ontario, including providing power to 15 remote First Nations communities across Northern Ontario. Today's announcement took place during the second annual engagement session hosted by Hydro One with the leaders from these communities to discuss key priorities of the shared relationships.  

"We are proud to support Moose Cree as they host another world-class tournament which will inspire our youth in their pursuit of excellence," said Debbie Debassige, Board President, Little Native Hockey League. "This tournament could not be the success it will be without the support of our valued sponsors, such as Hydro One."

The first Little Native Hockey League took place on Manitoulin Island in 1971 with 17 teams. It has since grown to a tournament hosting 170 teams and has an expected attendance of more than 6,000. First Nation communities take turns hosting the event and cities in Ontario bid to have the competition take place in their arenas. This year the Moose Cree First Nation is the host community and the tournament is taking place in in four different arenas in Mississauga.

About Hydro One Inc.:

Hydro One Inc. is a fully owned subsidiary of Hydro One Limited, Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with more than 1.3 million valued customers, $25 billion in assets and 2017 annual revenues of nearly $6 billion. Our team of over 7,400 skilled and dedicated regular and non-regular employees proudly and safely serves suburban, rural and remote communities across Ontario through our 30,000 circuit km of high-voltage transmission and 123,000 circuit km of primary distribution networks. Hydro One is committed to the communities we serve, and has been rated as the top utility in Canada for its corporate citizenship, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. We are one of only five utility companies in Canada to achieve the Sustainable Energy Company designation from the Canadian Electricity Association. We also provide advanced broadband telecommunications services on a wholesale basis utilizing our extensive fibre optic network. Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: H).

SOURCE Hydro One Inc.