MILTON, Ontario, March 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — An operations‑driven approach to modernizing utility scheduling has earned Milton Hydro the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) Innovation Excellence Award, presented at the 2026 EDA Awards Gala in Toronto.
The award recognizes Milton Hydro’s digital initiative that replaced manual, disconnected scheduling practices with a centralized, automated platform designed to improve how work is planned, shared, and delivered across the utility. The transformation has strengthened coordination between departments, improved visibility into field operations, and enhanced long‑term planning, supporting reliable service for a rapidly growing customer base.
“This initiative started with a simple goal: make it easier for our people to do their work well, so we can serve our customers even better,” said Troy Hare, President and CEO, Milton Hydro. “The Innovation Excellence Award recognizes the thoughtful effort our team put into building a solution that improves day‑to‑day operations while realizing cost-saving efficiencies and setting us up to adapt as our system and community continue to grow.”
Implemented by Milton Hydro’s operations team, the modernized platform automates routine scheduling and centralizes communication, eliminating information silos. Departments now share real‑time insight into priorities, timelines, and resource requirements, while senior leadership benefits from clearer operational visibility and data‑informed decision‑making.
Key features of the scheduling modernization include:
- A centralized, automated scheduling platform replacing manual and disconnected processes
- Real-time visibility into work priorities, timelines, and resource requirements across departments
- Workflow automation that reduces administrative effort and improves efficiency
- Improved coordination of crews, vehicles, and specialized equipment
- Enhanced tracking to support proactive equipment maintenance and reduce downtime
- A scalable design that has expanded beyond operations to support engineering, stores, and administrative functions
The impact extends beyond efficiency gains. Improved access to schedules and forward‑looking planning tools enables more efficient deployment of staff, vehicles, and specialized equipment. Enhanced tracking also supports proactive maintenance scheduling, helping reduce downtime and extend the life of critical assets.
In addition to efficiency and cost benefits, the initiative has helped drive stronger interdepartmental collaboration, creating a more unified support structure around Milton Hydro’s frontline workforce. Designed with flexibility in mind, the platform has expanded beyond core scheduling functions to support additional departments and evolving business needs.
Milton Hydro recently shared insights from the project at the 2026 EDIST Conference, where team members Adam Charlebois and Dave Belluz presented the organization’s approach to practical, operations‑driven digital change and its measurable results.
The EDA Innovation Excellence Award highlights Milton Hydro’s continued focus on operational excellence, resilient systems, and reliable service for the Milton community.
About Milton Hydro:
Milton Hydro is a local distribution company responsible for distributing electricity to more than 45,000 business and residential customers within the Town of Milton and our surrounding service area. Milton Hydro is a wholly owned subsidiary of Milton Hydro Holdings Inc., owned by the Town of Milton.
Milton Hydro has been providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity service for nearly a century and is enabling the ‘electrification of everything’ to keep its customers powered for generations to come.
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