Hydro Ottawa is powering the region’s future

It’s not just about keeping the lights on in the nation’s capital anymore. While that remains a critical function, Hydro Ottawa is undergoing a digital revolution, evolving from a traditional utility into a technology-driven organization for the future.

“The electricity industry is going through a major transformation," says Donna Burnett Vachon, director, change and organization development. “What we’re seeing is a significant move to more technology, more digitization. It’s broadening the skill sets that we’re looking for when it comes to employees joining us.

“While the importance of our trades and technical employees endures, we’re growing in areas where we’re focused on technology. We have employees coming out of new and innovative programs that didn’t exist 10-15 years ago, such as engineers in data analytics programs or sustainability. For example, we’ve got experts in cybersecurity, which we wouldn’t have had in the past."

This digital shift is being driven by evolving industry demands and a growing population with increasing consumer needs.

“There’s been an exponential increase in demand for electricity due to factors like electrification, the growth of data centres and the overall expansion of the city of Ottawa,” explains Sarah Green, director, IT planning, programs and grid technology. “We have e-vehicles coming out. We know we have provincial and federal mandates for zero emissions. All of these have demands that are increasing exponentially, which is in turn increasing the need for more capacity.

“We’re entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where everything is becoming digitized, mobile and connected through the internet of things,” Green continues. “Everything is smart now – even our fridges can connect. We’re able to unlock capabilities and capacities that previously weren’t possible just because of the communication and connectivity that we have through our devices. We have to find solutions to keep up.”

For Hydro Ottawa, this also means embracing new tools and capabilities designed for today’s mobile world while on the job. For instance, employees in the field can access critical information and perform key tasks from their smartphones and tablets from any location.

“We’re piloting digital tailboard solutions, so tasks that used to be manual are now something people can do on their devices in the field,” says Kelly Landry, acting manager, HR service centre and HR technology.

“We’re continuing to streamline all our business processes through automation, and doing away with paper-based processes, making them more accessible for employees wherever they are.”

This mobile-first approach extends to training and development as well. As Burnett Vachon says, “We’re looking for mobile ways to do that so that employees can access e-learning and other types of information all through their smartphone.”

Additionally, Hydro Ottawa is focused on fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration to empower employees to think differently. While Hydro Ottawa has always had a “can-do” culture and problem-solving mindset, the introduction of collaborative tools like Google has enabled more cross-functional collaboration across previously siloed groups.

“We have big projects where we’re working together to find innovative solutions,” says Burnett Vachon. “It’s a really exciting time to be part of what’s happening in electricity right now.”

Another influence is the large number of younger employees, who make up 40 per cent of Hydro Ottawa’s workforce.

“These young employees are helping us evolve in areas from data analytics to sustainability,” says Burnett Vachon. “Our president and CEO actively encourages younger employees to contribute. As he says, ‘You’re here to do meaningful work. If you have an idea, we want to hear it.’”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's National Capital Region's Top Employers winners, published March 4, 2025 in the Ottawa Citizen. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Hydro Ottawa offers a high-energy, innovative culture

There are times when Keith Hutt gets to feel like a hometown hero. When Hutt, a powerline technician with Hydro Ottawa, is out there restoring essential electrical service after a major storm, he likes the sense of purpose his work gives him. The Ottawa-based utility generates and delivers electricity to approximately 364,000 homes and businesses in the city of Ottawa and Village of Casselman.

“It makes you feel pretty valuable when people come out to show their appreciation for what we do,” says Hutt, who completed the co-op powerline technician program at Algonquin College, offered in partnership with Hydro Ottawa, before being hired as an apprentice. “The work is very rewarding and the company offers lots of opportunities for career growth and to move around to different departments.”

Hydro Ottawa partners with local educational institutions, such as Algonquin College and Carleton University, to recruit co-op students, including Algonquin’s “We Saved You a Seat” program that aims to attract more women to non-traditional careers. Additionally, the company hosts career events and hires 60-70 students annually during the summer.

Donna Burnett Vachon, director, change and organization development, says there’s a huge opportunity for careers in the electricity industry, which is going through its biggest transformation in the past 100 years. Currently, Hydro Ottawa is undertaking numerous projects to meet the city’s growing needs and support sustainability goals.

“We’re a fast-paced, high-energy, very innovative company with a young workforce – close to 40 per cent of our employees are 35 and under,” says Burnett Vachon. “Hydro Ottawa has a lot of work to do, which presents opportunities for young professionals. We have engineers out of university programs who are working towards their professional engineering licence, so we support them throughout with the right mentors and projects, plus anything additional needed for their licence.”

For example, engineering intern Maiss Al-Obaidi, first came to Hydro Ottawa in 2018 as a co-op student studying sustainable and renewable energy engineering at Carleton University. Several years after her co-op term, she applied again for a different role as a smart grid engineer-in-training and was hired.

“I feel challenged all the time, trying to create solutions and solve problems for the future,” says Al-Obaidi. "My manager always encourages me to flag any gaps I may have so I can further enrich my knowledge.”

The company also offers a large digital learning platform that all employees can access for professional development skills or, on the trade side, for virtual reality scenarios that the apprentices can use for different work processes. Mentoring on the job is another important aspect.

“My female supervisors are very inspiring as my role models,” says Al-Obaidi, who also volunteers for renewable energy organizations and has her own podcast for women in engineering. “They’ve trusted in my capabilities and helped me to feel confident and speak up.”

With the transition to digitization and a commitment to its ambitious goal of achieving net-zero operations by 2030, the company is embracing new technologies and innovation and is looking to add new skillsets and a wider range of talent than in the past.

“We want strong skills and a good educational background, but most importantly, people with energy who are excited about the electricity industry, sustainability and the environment,” says Burnett Vachon. “This is a great chance to do real, meaningful, impactful work at Hydro Ottawa, addressing and finding solutions for real problems in our community.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top Employers for Young People winners, published January 21, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Sustainability is deeply embedded at Hydro Ottawa

As part of its bold commitment to achieve net-zero operations by 2030, Hydro Ottawa has been steadily electrifying its fleet, beginning with light-duty vehicles.

“The transition from diesel to electric vehicles is a rather tall challenge, but employees got on board and we hit the ground running, looking at all aspects of how we meet that goal,” says Dale Williams, manager, fleet and facilities. “Ottawa winters and battery life have certainly added complications, although we’ve come leaps and bounds as far as electrifying our fleet.”

Hydro Ottawa currently has close to 30 light-duty electric vehicles, 16 medium-duty, fully electric trucks and nine heavy-duty trucks equipped with hybrid powertrains in its fleet. However, the change to fully electric heavy-duty vehicles is a work in progress. Williams says they are piloting new electric and hybrid technologies, including exploring electric bucket trucks, although the technology is still in development to work well in cold weather.

To support the transition, the utility provides employees with up-to-date information and hands-on experience with the new vehicle technologies. Employee feedback is critical to ensure any new vehicles meet operational needs in the field.

“We’re using our current vehicles until their end of life and replacing them with greener options as we go, with a long-term plan to continue to do so,” says Williams. “It’s a responsible and planned approach rather than immediately replacing everything.”

Sustainability is a core part of Hydro Ottawa’s identity and operations. The utility, wholly owned by the City of Ottawa, delivers electricity to more than 364,000 customers in the city of Ottawa and the village of Casselman.

“Sustainability is not just a policy, it’s not just a project — it’s a core value that drives our actions as a sustainable employer and partner,” says Shannon Nicholson, director of health, safety and environment. “We have three areas across the organization where we’re focused — carbon emission reduction, greening our procurement and supply chain, and employee engagement and culture.”

In terms of greening the procurement and supply chain, Hydro Ottawa has an eight-point plan with specific metrics, such as how many suppliers are located within 100 kilometres to help ensure sustainability is embedded throughout the utility’s operations.

Integrating climate change considerations into infrastructure planning, such as substation design, is another part of its sustainability efforts. Steve Hawthorne, director of distribution program delivery, is specifically focused on trying to incorporate low carbon techniques into substation design, construction and eventual operations.

“Adapting infrastructure for climate change is extremely important, given the increasing frequency of major weather events in the region,” says Hawthorne.

“This includes considerations around the land use and placement of substations, such as creating pollinator meadows around a new substation to thoughtfully integrate the facilities into the surrounding environment.”

Engaging employees to prioritize sustainability is another focus area. Hydro Ottawa offers EV charging stations for employees, premium parking for employees with electric vehicles and those who carpool, and covered bicycle parking to encourage sustainable commuting.

Looking ahead, Nicholson says the utility plans to raise awareness with new programs to incentivize behaviours and encourage staff to further understand sustainability as part of their job.

“Employees care deeply about Hydro Ottawa’s sustainability efforts,” says Nicholson. “Plus, many job candidates are attracted to our commitment to green initiatives. They want to contribute to a greater purpose as part of their day-to-day work.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Greenest Employers winners, published April 22, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.