FortisBC people stay committed amid fire and rain

For Carrie Grant of energy provider company FortisBC, one particularly outstanding thing about her company is that “when there’s something extraordinary going on, everyone shows up.”

“We’ve had floods, fires and windstorms, and not only have our people gone to work, but they’ve wanted to go to work,” says the regional manager of network services for the gas and electricity provider. “They’ll call in from everywhere and say, ‘Can I help?’ That dedication to our customers is pretty special. But it’s our common goal.”

Grant adds that ultimately, working for FortisBC is deeply satisfying because of that goal. “We get the power back on; we make sure the gas is working, and that people have heat. We make a difference in people’s lives.”

Grant, a trained mechanical engineer based in Kelowna (where FortisBC is headquartered in tandem with Surrey), notes that she’s been part of such events herself. “In 2023, I was evacuated from my home because of wildfires, as were many of our employees, but we all showed up for work because we wanted to take care of the community. I don’t think many people get to feel that in their job.”

A regulated utility, FortisBC is British Columbia’s largest energy provider, delivering natural gas, electricity, renewable natural gas and propane to nearly 1.3 million customers. To support sustainability, the company is working on decarbonizing its gas system with renewable and low-carbon gases and focusing on protecting ecosystems and conserving biological diversity around its operations, among other initiatives. It also works with Indigenous and local communities toward a lower-carbon energy future.

Meanwhile, its ethos of customer care permeates the workplace, says Kira Bennett, the Prince George-based customer experience manager of strategy and projects.

“There are a lot of opportunities to collaborate with other departments and work with other groups on major projects in different parts of B.C.,” says Bennett, who has been with the company for more than 13 years — two years longer than the company-wide average. “I’ve been lucky enough in my career here to work with several mentors, and overall, the company has been very supportive of my journey to advance my career.”

In addition to fostering employee growth, FortisBC focuses on employee well-being. “My husband has a complicated autoimmune disorder, so his medicines are quite expensive,” notes Grant. “I needed to work for an employer that had good medical benefits.”

More than that, she adds, the company's culture of inclusion has helped support her as a mother. “I have a full-time job and workload and I have two children. I’ve always been the sort of person who doesn’t want to miss anything with my kids, but the support I’ve received means I haven’t missed birthday parties and can show up for their Christmas concerts.” Her department leader helps her make sure she's “there for those important days,” she says.

And when Grant pursued new learning opportunities, FortisBC was again supportive of her pursuing further education. “If I needed to not take on that extra project for a month to be able to finish so I could graduate, there was no problem,” she says. “I am very grateful for that.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's BC’s Top Employers winners, published February 11, 2025 in the Vancouver Sun. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.