September 21, 2016

Medicine Hat College (MHC) will soon offer journeymen the opportunity to get their compressed natural gas vehicle inspection (CNGVI) certification on campus thanks to a joint effort between the trades department, Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance, City of Medicine Hat and Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce.

The course, which is anticipated to be available late fall or early winter, teaches automotive and heavy duty mechanics how to inspect the natural gas portion of a vehicle and determine its suitability for the roads. It is part of the commercial vehicle inspection program which is a requirement within the industry.

 “This gives journeyman another certification within the industry and more job opportunities within their field. It is particularly relevant in Medicine Hat because of the natural gas buses that the City recently purchased; these vehicles need to be inspected and kept up-to-date,” says Dennis Beaudoin, dean of trades and technology.



(Left to Right) Dennis Beaudoin, dean of trades and technology poses with instructor Keon Clift

In 2015, the city commissioned its compressed natural gas (CNG) program with transit and solid waste vehicles being supplied by their refuelling station. The program provides daily benefits to residents through decreased fuel and noise emissions.

Mayor Ted Clugston is excited about the opportunity that this program will provide.

“We have been excited to contribute to this Medicine Hat College initiative, expecting increased capacity in the CNG field will improve feasibility for broader commercial, and possibly personal vehicles to convert to this technology. Having technical training and education locally is a significant step towards creating that capacity.”

Aaron Fleming, president of the Chamber of Commerce explains that they were pleased to work alongside partners to support this initiative and develop the appropriate policy.

“In a very short time the college was able to bring an idea to fruition and create an opportunity for the CNGVI certification to be offered, not only in Alberta, but locally in Medicine Hat,” says Fleming. “By becoming an early adopter of providing the necessary certification and training, we hope to see an influx of personnel from other provinces coming to Alberta for NGV training due to the lack of national access to this type of programming. We offer our congratulations on the collaborative efforts put forward in creating this opportunity for our community”.

For more information on the trades department and the programs available at MHC visit, www.mhc.ab.ca.

If you are interested in learning more about the City of Medicine Hat’s CNG program visit www.medicinehat.ca or to review the natural gas vehicle training requirement policy, click here.