Kate Campbell "Gets The Dirt" On April Dig Safe Month

GUELPH, ON, April 6, 2021 /CNW/ - Every year, Spring inspires people to start planning their next big [or small] outdoor project and with many Ontarians focusing on home improvements, there's more digging happening than ever. Whether you're having a new fence installed or digging yourself a new garden, Ontario One Call wants to remind you to Call or Click Before You Dig, for any size project! Director of Education, Marketing & Compliance, Ian Simpson, says, "homeowner projects that involved digging were up 20% last year due to people spending more time at home, and we need them to be safe."

Finding out what cables and lines, such as gas and hydro, are buried on your property is a critical step before you start digging for any size project. It's so critical, it's the law! If a homeowner or hired contractor chooses not to call or click Ontario One Call for a locate, they could find themselves in a dangerous situation, be held liable for damages, and face additional fines.

Celebrity contractor and HGTV personality, Kate Campbell is partnering up with Ontario One Call to help spread this important safety message and raise awareness.

Kate runs her own renovation company and has worked on many HGTV shows like "Holmes On Homes", "Holmes Inspection", "Decked Out", "Home to Win" and "Custom Built". "I'm really excited to be working with Ontario One Call", says Kate. "Working in the renovation industry for my entire career, I've always been committed to safety on the job site, and that includes the importance of requesting locates for any digging project."

According to the DIRT Report, published by the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA), there were over 4,500 reported damages to underground cables or pipes in 2020, and thirty-nine percent were caused because a locate was not requested.

Simpson says, "Call or Click Before You Dig isn't just for professionals or large projects. It's for anyone who is planning to dig for any reason. Even if you are planting a single tree, you could hit a utility line and get seriously injured."

A locate request can be made online or by calling Ontario One Call a minimum of 5 days before digging. Once this first step is taken, Ontario One Call notifies utilities and buried infrastructure owners who will send representatives to identify hazards below the ground.

Don't take the risk. Dig Safe this season by contacting Ontario One Call.

It's free. It's easy. It's the law.

Call 1-800-400-2255 or click OntarioOneCall.ca

Ontario One Call is a not-for-profit organization that acts as a communications link between utility companies, underground infrastructure owners, and individuals who are planning to dig in the province of Ontario. In 2012, the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act was passed, which stipulates by law that anyone in the province of Ontario must contact Ontario One Call before they dig.

SOURCE Ontario One Call