October 2, 2018

Medicine Hat College has been recognized by Alberta Municipal Affairs as the only licensed post-secondary institution in Alberta to offer the compressed natural gas inspection (CNGVI) certification. The program is 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 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 a requirement within the industry.

According to Dennis Beaudoin, dean of trades and technology, there is a growing interest in CNG and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). These fuels are stored and distributed in hard containers at high pressures of 2,900 – 3,600 pounds per square inch (psi).

“The carbon footprint from both compressed and liquefied natural gas is considerably lower than what is currently being used, which makes it a desirable fuel source. However, because of the pressure, there is a different level of safety inspection and installation required by heavy equipment and automotive mechanics.”

Cities like Medicine Hat and Calgary are integrating CNG into their transit fleet.

“We have already trained individuals from throughout Alberta, including workers with the City of Medicine Hat,” explains Beaudoin. “However, the opportunity goes beyond Alberta. In Western Canada, besides Vancouver Community College,we are the only institute currently recognized by Alberta Municipal Affairs  that is huge and we are very excited about that.”

For individuals interested in taking the program, please contact continuing studies at 403.529.3874 or cstudiesmedicinehat@mhc.ab.ca.

If you are interested in learning more about the trades programming offered at MHC, visit www.mhc.ab.ca.