As the recent recession shows, energy providers are an essential part of Alberta’s economy. The oil and gas industry is a driving force, creating jobs alongside economic revenue, but that isn’t the only reason energy providers in Alberta are so essential. A lot of providers are also directly and passionately involved in and dedicated to making the communities in which they operate a better place.
Many energy providers in Alberta have made it part of their mission to give back to the communities that have supported their success.
For instance, ENMAX provided $3.8 million to communities in 2015. Their efforts included providing financial support to partner organizations and the United Way along with providing donations to clubs and associations across Alberta. The ENMAX team also dedicated 2,239 volunteer hours to community initiatives throughout the year, and after discovering a shortage of work boots for those who needed them, organized a boot drive, collecting 129 pairs of steel-toed work boots along with other workwear for donation to the Drop-In Centre.
A number of other energy providers in Alberta, like AltaGas and Direct Energy, dedicate time and funds towards giving back to their communities by supporting charitable and non-profit organizations, by providing corporate donations or donating to local fundraisers, and even through employee volunteering. Direct Energy also offers the Reduce Your Use For Good program, a grant program that is designed to help non-profit organizations invest in energy-efficient products so they can lower their energy usage and costs. Just Energy has the Just Energy Foundation, which is a private, non-profit, charitable foundation that contributes to registered charities across North America through corporate giving.
TransAlta is another energy provider in Alberta that has made community focus a corporate mandate. TransAlta’s Community Programs enable them to take part in ongoing, large-scale projects. In 2015, the company volunteered 2,500 hours in the community, fundraised more than $1 million for United Way, and provided $3.5 million in community donations and sponsorships.
A number of other energy providers in Alberta, like EPCOR, dedicate themselves to providing charitable donations, sponsorship, and in-kind donations that also have an educational aspect, either regarding employment or energy use. EPCOR has raised more than $5 million for United Way in addition to volunteering and providing charitable donations to worthy causes in the community—like Fort McMurray wildfire relief.
In addition to creating steady revenue flows that are instrumental in driving Alberta’s economy forward (and carrying it through its current recession), energy providers in Alberta also play a big role in supporting the initiatives, organizations, and foundations that ensure strong communities. From donating to specific relief programs, like Fort McMurray’s wildfire relief fund, to funding local grants that can enable organizations to further benefit community members at large, and from collaborating with non-profit and otherwise impacting organizations within the community to creating and developing their own charitable programs, and even including each employee’s dedication to providing volunteer hours to good causes, energy providers in Alberta are proving how integrated they are by giving back to the very communities that founded them.
