Employment initiatives

The TRC Report also calls on the corporate sector to ensure that Indigenous Peoples have equitable access to jobs and training opportunities to ensure long-term, sustainable benefits from economic development projects . Electricity Canada member companies regularly provide employment and training opportunities to local Indigenous communities through grants, Indigenous-specific job boards and more . Below are a few examples of member employment initiatives .

BC Hydro working to increase its Indigenous workforce

BC Hydro’s goal is to increase Indigenous representation in its workforce by 25 per cent by 2026 . A dedicated Indigenous employment team works to create career awareness and provide pathways for Indigenous individuals to achieve employment with the company . Training specialists in the region are knowledgeable of the specific employment challenges, opportunities, and the capacity of communities, and they work with specific candidates to remove barriers to employment . BC Hydro also partners with regional educational institutions that offer programs that match with community needs . BC Hydro offers training and employment programs that span a multitude of candidates, from individuals who are three to five years from hire (Youth Hires and Try-a-Trade), to those that have completed all the required training and education and are ready to be hired (Indigenous Professionals In Development) . This program offers Indigenous Peoples with a post-secondary education, a one-year paid work and professional development placement with BC Hydro .

FortisAlberta employs Indigenous Peoples in maintenance work

FortisAlberta utilizes community members for liaison work when line maintenance work is being done . This includes line rebuilds, pole testing and replacement and vegetation management Its contractors also employ community members for temporary labour positions where required

Hydro One working to remove barriers to Indigenous employment

Hydro One understands that a key to its success is building a workforce that reflects the communities in which they operate It has set out on a path to better understand how to attract and retain Indigenous employees, by identifying and removing the barriers that exist in current policies and practices To make meaningful progress it also believes it must start from the top . It is critical to have representation at the highest levels, and Hydro One is guided by the advice and knowledge from two strong Indigenous leaders on the Board of Directors . Hydro One has also established an Indigenous Peoples, Safety & Operations Committee of the Board to elevate the importance of strengthening partnerships with Indigenous communities

Hydro Quebec creates a dedicated team to attract Indigenous workers

The Indigenous Workforce team is a recent initiative by Hydro Quebec’s Indigenous Communities department The team’s mission is to promote the inclusion of people from Québec’s 11 Indigenous nations and support them throughout their careers at Hydro Quebec Their role is to ensure that the company takes into account any cultural differences that may be a barrier to the inclusion of people from Indigenous communities

More specifically, the four members of the team provide personalized support to employees, their managers and their teams at all levels of the hierarchy . The goal is to help evolve the company’s culture so that it takes into account characteristics specific to Indigenous Peoples . The team is also working on the best ways to provide Indigenous Peoples with a meaningful experience in order to attract, welcome and support them, so that their unique and rich expertise can contribute to the company’s development The team is also active before the hiring process begins, specifically by considering how the company can help bring Indigenous Peoples closer to the job market and generate interest in positions at Hydro Quebec .