How Manitoba Hydro’s dedication to community engagement fosters connections and supports local initiatives across the province
Sure, Manitoba Hydro is the electrical and natural gas utility for the province but there are people behind the masthead.
When one of your goals is to be an outstanding corporate citizen, you’ve got to be seen as a champion of community events and organizations that Manitobans support, says Bruce Owen, Hydro’s media relations officer.
“It’s vital that we represent the interests and pursuits of the communities that we serve,” he says. “It’s important to us that we support the same organizations Manitobans support.
“We’re Manitobans working for Manitobans. A lot of the interests we support as a corporation, our employees support through their own volunteer work and charitable giving.”
Perhaps the best example is the Manitoba Hydro Santa Claus Parade, a sponsorship that dates back more than 30 years and continues a long tradition of kicking off the Christmas season in Winnipeg’s downtown.
“Last November, the parade brought thousands of people downtown—families, young people and seniors—on a beautiful day to have fun and be safe. It’s obvious with that kind of turnout that the parade is something Winnipeggers value as something they can do with their families each year. If we can contribute to the well-being of people to just enjoy themselves and watch the floats go by, that’s extremely important to us,” Owen says.
He’s quick to note a significant number of Hydro employees volunteer by helping to make floats and by participating in the parade itself.
Manitoba Hydro encourages its employees to volunteer at a charity or organization that means something to them such as CancerCare Manitoba, Habitat for Humanity and Operation Red Nose.
“Our hope is that by participating in the communities we serve and giving back, we can make our province a more vibrant and attractive place to live,” he says.
Manitoba Hydro employees walk the talk. Through payroll deductions, they pledged more than $550,000 to 31 charities in the province over the last 12 months.
Other sponsored events on the Manitoba Hydro calendar every year include the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, the Manito Ahbee Festival, Pride Winnipeg Festival, Festival du Voyageur, Folklorama, the Manitoba Summer Games and the Easter Seals Drop Zone. The latter is a hair-raising fundraiser where people, including various media personnel, rappel down the side of the Manitoba Hydro Place.
