In the early 1960’s, companies were unwilling to spend the dollars needed to bring gas pipelines to a single farming household. In an effort to cut their fuel bills, farmers southwest of Calgary enlisted the help of an engineering firm and built their own gas utility pipeline system. These farmers created the first gas co-op, literally around their kitchen table, and sparked the gas co-op movement. There are now 82 rural natural gas utilities in our province making up the largest rural natural gas distribution system in the world. Crossroads Gas Co-op Ltd., incorporated in April of 1973 by Rural Utilities, is part of this movement. Our gas utility owns, distributes, invoices and maintains rural natural gas to a franchise area taking in most of the region east of the QE2 Highway from Red Deer to Carstairs, with the Red Deer River as the east boundary. We are a non-profit member owned cooperative operated by an elected Board of Directors from the community we service.
Our membership has grown from approximately 1,300 services in 1974 to 3,300 in 2021 and is growing by 30 services per year. We are proud to be part of the world’s largest rural natural gas distribution system and our belief that all Albertan’s should have access to affordable, clean burning fuel helps us ensure all the benefits stay within those communities and they continue to grow.
Our Board of Directors and the area they serve:
Richard Hoppins – Elnora, Huxley, Trochu West
Jeff Krause – Wimborne, Torrington West
Jay Biggs – Delburne, Lousana East
Brent Saunders – Innisfail, Penhold North
Tom Hunter – Carstairs East
Fred Lutz – Wimborne North
Herb Nisbet – Innisfail, Bowden East
Robin Sutton – Olds, Didsbury East
Vacant – Pine Lake, Delburne West
Bruce Jensen – Elnora, Trochu East
Robert Park – Three Hills West