CorporateSocial Responsibility Report

2013

Hydro Ottawa2012–2016 Strategic Direction

FINANCIALSTRENGTH

CUSTOMERVALUE

ORGANIZATIONALEFFECTIVENESS

CORPORATECITIZENSHIP

Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2013 

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Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer

I am pleased to provide this

report on Hydro Ottawa’s

performance in the area of

Corporate Citizenship.

As one of our four Key Areas of Focus,

Corporate Citizenship is a central

preoccupation for Hydro Ottawa.

It helps to guide our strategic planning.

It influences business decisions. And it is

one of the four criteria by which we judge

our success or failure as a company.

The importance we assign to Corporate Citizenship is linked both to our history and our vision for the future.

We are a company with deep roots in our community, established through more than 100 years of providing an essential service to homes and businesses. With that heritage comes an expectation that we should be a good neighbour – engaged, responsive, willing to lend a hand, and a good steward of the environment we all share. We are fully committed to meeting that expectation.

Our Vision is to be a leading and trusted integrated utility services company. Similarly, our Guiding Principles state that Hydro Ottawa is committed to creating long-term value in a manner that will withstand the test of public scrutiny and inspire confidence and trust. We know that trust has to be earned, and our efforts with respect to Corporate Citizenship are an important part of earning and maintaining the trust of our customers and our community.

Finally, we are utterly convinced that good Corporate Citizenship enhances business performance. Stakeholder trust creates new opportunities, reassures regulators,

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013 increases customer loyalty, and attracts

good business partners and talented employees. Consider that in our most recent employee engagement survey, approximately 90% of our employees cited the company’s commitment to the community and corporate citizenship as one of their top three reasons for working at Hydro Ottawa. Given the critical importance of attracting and retaining skilled employees, we want to ensure that our employees can continue to take pride in their contribution to the well-being of our community.

In short, good Corporate Citizenship is a significant driver of business value and business performance, and a crucial part of fulfilling our commitments to our stakeholders. As such, it is an area of performance we take seriously.

Over the past several years, Hydro Ottawa has developed strategies to maximize the impact of our efforts with respect to Corporate Citizenship, and to allow better assessment of our performance in this area, with a view to continuous improvement. These include our Environmental Sustainability Strategy and our Brighter Tomorrows Community Investment Program, both of which are described in this report, as well as business strategies that place significant emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation.

Given the inextricable link between energy and the environment, our approach to Corporate Citizenship includes a strong focus on environmental sustainability. We are proud to be making important contributions to a sustainable environment within our company by reducing the impact of our operations, in our community by actively promoting energy conservation, and by generating renewable energy in greater amounts than ever before.

This Corporate Social Responsibility Report – the first of its kind for the company – represents an important opportunity to share our progress with our stakeholders, and increase the level of transparency with respect to this important area of our operations.

We welcome your feedback as we work to create long-term value in a manner that is deserving of public confidence and trust.

Sincerely,

Bryce Conrad President and Chief Executive Officer

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Contents

Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Environmental Stewardship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Reducing our carbon footprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Our Fleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Our Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Information Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Our Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Waste management and recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Greening procurement and the supply chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Building a culture of environmental sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Leadership development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Helping our customers to conserve energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1

Increasing the supply of renewable energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Hydro-electric power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Landfill-gas-to-energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Solar power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Investing in positive outcomes in our community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Brighter Tomorrows Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Brighter Tomorrows Community Partnership Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Brighter Tomorrows Employee Volunteer Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Brighter Tomorrows Mandated Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Our Commitment to United Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Helping our neighbours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Environmental StewardshipAs a company that actively promotes environmental sustainability in our

community, most notably in relation to energy conservation, we think

it’s important to “practice what we preach” by carefully managing our

own impacts on the environment.

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Hydro Ottawa developed an Environmental Sustainability Strategy in 2009, with the

aim of reducing the impact of our operations on the environment and improving our

environmental performance. The Strategy is based on a comprehensive analysis of

our impacts on water, land and air, and outlines specific priority areas to maximize the

impact of our efforts. In addition, our certified ISO 14001 environmental management

system has been in place since 2004, and is audited annually.

Reducing our carbon footprint

Hydro Ottawa is gradually greening our vehicle fleet, our facilities, and our information technology infrastructure, to reduce our carbon footprint.

Our Fleet

As older vehicles are retired through our normal vehicle replacement schedule, they are replaced with hybrid or more energy-efficient vehicles wherever possible. This involves some additional capital expenditure up front, but is proven to reduce operating costs through lower fuel consumption. Currently, our green fleet consists of 2 electric vehicles, 2 hybrid cars, 7 hybrid pick-up trucks, 50 flex fuel vehicles, 8 vehicles with battery technology, 1 full

hybrid bucket truck and 4 bucket trucks with hybrid technology. To reduce the need to run vehicle engines, Hydro Ottawa has incorporated hybrid technology to operate hydraulics for aerial devices (“buckets”) and battery technology in our entire fleet of vans to eliminate idling for heating and lighting while servicing underground cabling. This strengthens the impact of our “anti-idling” policy, which permits vehicle idling only where operationally necessary.

Thirteen aerial devices have also been converted to Biopure Biodegradable Oil, which is non-toxic, metal-free and inherently biodegradable, with further conversions expected in the future.

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013 Our Facilities

Our facility plans also include a significant focus on environmental performance and reducing carbon emissions. All 52 applicable substations have been upgraded to be more energy efficient, through the use of building automation systems, lighting and insulation upgrades, and window replacements. Improvements have also been made to our offices and work centres following energy audits. Our Real Estate Rationalization Strategy, announced in 2012, will significantly reduce the environmental impact of our offices and work centres by replacing three obsolete facilities with two modern ones that are more strategically located. At the same time, this strategy is expected to reduce costs and improve service through more efficient and effective operations.

Our GHG emissions and energy consumption, based on hours worked, have decreased since the beginning of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

75

100

125

150

2012201120102009

Greenhouse gas emissions in tonnes (Scope 1)per 50,000 hours worked

Energy Consumption

2000

2500

3000

3500

2012201120102009

Energy Consumption in GJ per 50,000 hours worked

Information Technology

Finally, we are gradually reducing the impact of our information technology platforms in a number of ways, including:

■■ a server virtualization and consolidation program which decommissioned 60 servers in 2013 resulting in energy and CO2 emission reductions;

■■ power management settings and double-sided printing defaults for all devices;

■■ a Storage Area Network Program that has the capability to store a higher density of information on one server which means fewer servers are required for the same amount of information; and

■■ a virtual workstation pilot that provides the same service virtually for multiple users versus the typical arrangement of one physical workstation per user.

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Our Customers

We’re also helping our customers to reduce their own carbon emissions. In addition to our many energy conservation programs, Hydro Ottawa partnered with the City of Ottawa in 2012 to install an electric vehicle charging station at City Hall. This project allows vehicle owners to recharge their batteries free of charge, and provides valuable information that will help the City and Hydro Ottawa to develop strategies for this important technology.

Bryce Conrad, Hydro Ottawa’s President and Chief Executive Officer, joins Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and River Ward City Councilor and Chair of the City’s Environment Committee, Maria McRae, to unveil an electric vehicle charging station.

The greening of our customer service practices, including more online services through MyHydroLink and the growing number of customers opting for paperless billing, is another area where we are working with our customers to reduce environmental impacts. As part of Hydro Ottawa’s “Go Paperless” Campaign, we committed to planting a tree for every customer who registered for E-billing from September to December 2013. As a result, a total of 14,414 trees will be planted in the Ottawa area this spring further greening our community.

To date, over 66,000 customers enjoy the convenience of E-billing and MyHydroLink has over 104,000 subscribers which represents 33% of our customers!

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Waste management and recycling

Hydro Ottawa tracks all solid and liquid wastes, including operational waste streams, and has systems in place to ensure we maintain a high diversion rate. Our non-hazardous waste diversion rate for 2012 was 92 percent. While the company’s diversion rate varies slightly from year to year, depending on the type and volume of materials being removed from service and the availability of recycling options for the resulting waste, our non-hazardous waste diversion rate has been consistently above 90 percent since the beginning of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

Non-Hazardous Waste Diverted from Landfill

60

80

100

2012201120102009

Non-Hazardous % Waste Diversion Rate(from landfill)

Our non-hazardous waste diversion rate has been consistently above 90 percent since the beginning of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

New recycling bins were introduced in our offices and work centres in 2012, to help employees to separate and recycle waste at the source. Hydro Ottawa recycles many items including cans, glass, cardboard, paper, plastic, wood, tree trimmings, transformers and electrical equipment, tires, meters, e-waste (laptops, servers, desktops, printers, and cell phones) and metals.

Hydro Ottawa’s operations also generate some hazardous waste, including transformer oil, paints, solvents and scrap transformers, and we are required to coordinate the collection, transportation and disposal or destruction of this waste in accordance with specific regulatory requirements. While the majority of hazardous waste must be destroyed, we send waste oil and scrap transformers for recycling whenever possible. In accordance with federal regulations, Hydro Ottawa is in the process of removing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from all electrical equipment, with the vast majority to be removed by the end of 2014.

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Greening procurement and the supply chain

Buying greener products and services presents another opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of Hydro Ottawa’s operations. We have developed and implemented a point system for evaluating supplier proposals that uses environmental designations and practices as a “tie-breaker” for differentiating close competitive bidders.

We have also begun tracking the relative proportion of purchase orders placed with firms in and surrounding the National Capital Region with the aim of reducing our carbon footprint by sourcing goods and services locally where it is cost-effective to do so.

We purchased 31 percent of our goods and services from local suppliers within a 100 km radius of the National Capital Region in 2012, measured in terms of dollars spent, which is an 11% increase over the prior year. In 2013, we purchased 35 percent of our goods and services locally.

The Canadian Electricity Association’s 2013 Sustainable Electricity Annual Report recognized Hydro Ottawa for our work in greening the supply chain.

Building a culture of environmental sustainability

Another priority area of Hydro Ottawa’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy is to foster a culture of environmental stewardship within the company. By doing so, employees become champions for the greening of our operations, and a key source of ideas for how we can further reduce our environmental impact.

As measured through an engagement survey, our employees have told us they have a strong level of awareness of the company’s commitment and actions regarding environmental sustainability, as well as their role in this regard. We work to ensure employees have the tools they need to reduce waste and conserve energy,

whether through the default settings on their devices, the availability of recycling and waste separation stations in their workplace, mechanisms for electronic collaboration and communication, or the opportunity to participate in specific programs and activities.

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Furthermore, as recognition of the innovative and integrated approach inherent in our Environmental Sustainability Strategy, in 2011, 2012 and 2013 Hydro Ottawa has been recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Greenest Employers by MediaCorp Canada, the publisher of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. This special designation recognizes employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. Each employer is evaluated in terms of:

1. the unique environmental initiatives and programs they have developed;

2. the extent to which they have been successful in reducing the organization’s own environmental footprint;

3. the degree to which their employees are involved in these programs and whether they contribute any unique skills; and

4. the extent to which these initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity and whether they aid in the attraction of new people to the organization.

At Hydro Ottawa we are proud to have been awarded with this formal recognition.

Leadership development

Our Leadership Development Program, which involves a Masters Certificate in Energy Sector Leadership delivered by the Schulich School of Business, includes an environmental sustainability component, and our Action Learning Program allows graduates to apply the knowledge they have

gained by addressing real strategic priorities at Hydro Ottawa. In 2012, one of the priority projects was a review of technologies and opportunities related to Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. In 2013, we have two priority projects related to environmental sustainability: Greening Employee Work Practices and Eliminating Paper Processes.

Helping our customers to conserve energy

Hydro Ottawa has been offering programs to help our customers conserve

energy since 2005, and 2012 was our most successful year to date – in terms

of both reducing peak demand for energy and total kilowatt hours saved.

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13 Reducing peak demand helps reduce the need for costly and often more polluting peak

energy generation, while reducing total kilowatt hours used throughout the year helps

to reduce greenhouse gases and pollution. The average use of electricity by Ottawa

households has declined by approximately 14 percent over the past decade due to

a range of factors, including conservation programs, more efficient appliances and

greater public awareness of the need to conserve.

Hydro Ottawa’s early conservation programs were in response to a provincial call for utilities to take leadership in promoting energy conservation. Today, utilities such as Hydro Ottawa have aggressive mandatory conservation targets that must be met as part of our electricity distribution license. Hydro Ottawa has welcomed this new challenge, and we continue to work with provincial agencies and local partners to increase both the range and visibility of conservation programs available in our community – for residents, and for businesses large and small. It’s all about making sure our customers have the right tools and incentives to use energy as efficiently as possible.

Some home-grown conservation initiatives developed by Hydro Ottawa are now thriving province-wide programs. One example is the Fridge and Freezer Pick Up program, which has now retired 29,000 old, inefficient appliances in Ottawa alone, and many more across the province. Another 31,000 households are now participating in our peaksaverPLUS program, which provides the benefit of a free professionally installed programmable thermostat in exchange for the ability of Hydro Ottawa to slightly adjust air conditioning when energy use is at its peak.

Ruth York McCrea @yorkmccrea7 Jun 12 @hydroottawa Just having my #peaksaverPLUS installed -

can’t wait to monitor the electricity consumption in my home!

We now have the ability to control more than 15 megawatts of electricity demand throughout the City as a result of this program. More than 12,000 customers have taken advantage of incentives to upgrade their furnace and central air conditioning to more energy efficient models and the New Home Construction Program through

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saveONenergy offers home builders and renovators incentives for the installation of energy efficient measures in their home.

The business community can save through a number of saveONenergy programs including the Demand Response Program that offers monthly payments for reduced energy consumption upon receipt of activation notices and the High Performance New Construction Program provides financial incentives and design assistance for new building or major renovation projects that exceed the electricity efficiency specified in the Ontario Building Code.

In Ottawa’s business community, 1,100 small businesses received lighting upgrades through the saveONenergy Small Business Lighting program in 2012, while our larger commercial customers completed 574 retrofit projects, resulting in a total payment of $4 million in incentives.

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Commercial Space Retrofits

0

200

400

600

2012201120102009

Number of completed retrofits in commerical space

79

230304

574

The RETROFIT PROGRAM provides substantial financial incentives for replacing equipment with high efficiency equipment and for installing new control systems that will improve operational efficiency procedures and processes.

Customers who participate in these programs can see a significant savings of energy and money. To take one example, working closely with Hydro Ottawa, the Ottawa Catholic School Board has reduced its electricity consumption by 27 percent through a variety of retrofits and by promoting a culture of conservation. As a result, the Board has realized energy cost savings of $9,816,676 over five years.

In 2012, Hydro Ottawa’s conservation programs resulted in estimated energy savings of over 216 million kilowatt hours, with total savings over the past seven years equaling more than 788 million kilowatt hours, along with peak demand reductions of more than 390 megawatts. These energy savings – the equivalent of removing 85,342 homes from the electricity grid for a year – have been achieved through investments of $38 million in support of the conservation efforts of our customers, which represents a significant boost to the local economy.

MW of Peak Demand Reduced

Total Kilowatt Hours Saved

Dollars Invested Number of Homes taken off the Grid for a year

2006 19.7 23,301,000 $2.1 M 2,427

2007 46.5 73,578,000 $4 M 7,665

2008 55.4 72,657,000 $3 M 7,568

2009 59.5 106,067,000 $4.2 M 11,048

2010 70.2 120,586,000 $4.3 M 12,561

2011 61.6 175,556,000 $9.6 M 18,288

2012 77.96 216,591,000 $10.8M 25,785*

Total 390.86 788,346,000 $38M 85,342

*The average use of electricity by Ottawa households has declined approximately 14% over the last decade due to a range of factors including conservation programs, more efficient appliances and higher awareness of the need to conserve. Previous years “Number of Homes” calculations were based on 800kWh/month average household usage. In 2012 we are using 700kWh/month average household usage.

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We are also working to foster a culture of energy conservation in the community through a number of education campaigns. Our Conservation Team participated in 110 community events in 2012, and more than 1,400 community members visited one of our Chaudière Falls generating stations during Doors Open Ottawa in 2013, where energy conservation demonstrations were provided. In 2012, electricity safety and conservation presentations were provided to over 19,000 students in 53 elementary schools across the City and a more in-depth conservation curriculum was delivered to over 1,500 Grade 5 students in 28 schools.

In addition, we’re helping local condominium and apartment buildings to go green, by working with them to convert from bulk metering to individual suite metering technology – a proven way to increase awareness about energy use and reduce consumption.

1,430 visitors toured Hydro Ottawa’s historic Generating Station No. 2 at Chaudière Falls as part of Doors Open Ottawa in June 2013.

Since 2005, more than 1,300 presentations in 197 elementary schools across the Ottawa community have been delivered, training more than 161,000 students.

Increasing the supply of renewable energy

When Hydro Ottawa was formed in 2000, the company owned two aging

generating stations at Chaudière Falls that were nearing the end of their useful

life. Over the next several years, by carefully retrofitting and modernizing those

heritage facilities, and by constructing a landfill-gas-to-energy facility at the

City’s Trail Road landfill, the company doubled its renewable generation capacity.

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In 2012, by acquiring three additional hydro-electric facilities at Chaudière Falls,

completing the construction of a second landfill-gas-to-energy facility at Moose Creek,

and expanding the Trail Road plant, Hydro Ottawa has more than doubled its green

generation capacity once again.

Jim Watson @JimWatsonOttawa13 Jun 12 Congrats to Hydro Ottawa for purchasing more clean hydro

capacity and increasing capacity from 17 to 38 megawatts of green power #ottcity

Through this increase of green generation capacity by more than 200 percent since municipal amalgamation, Hydro Ottawa has quietly emerged as the largest municipally owned producer of green power in Ontario. In total, Hydro Ottawa now operates a

renewable power generation capacity of more than 320,000 megawatt hours per year, which is enough to power 38,000 homes. While this is a profitable business line for Hydro Ottawa, we also view it as part of our commitment and contribution to the environmental sustainability of our community.

The environmental benefits of the company’s two primary forms of renewable generation are significant.

Hydro-electric power

Run-of-the-river hydroelectric facilities such as those at Chaudière Falls, which use the natural flow of the river rather than dams that create reservoirs, have a minimal impact on the environment, and produce no pollution or greenhouse gases. They also generate power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout the year. The Chaudière plants that were retrofitted by Hydro Ottawa in the early 2000’s are among only a handful to be certified under the federal EcoLogo program, which signifies that they are among the lowest-impact generating stations in the country.

With the Chaudière acquisition in 2012, Hydro Ottawa’s run-of-the-river generating capacity grew from 17 to 38 megawatts,

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13 with opportunities for future expansion that could see production grow to as much as 60 megawatts.

In 2012, we launched the first phase of a program to protect the American eel near our Chaudière facilities. This endangered

species migrates between its fresh and salt water habitats where the dams and turbines may pose harm. Temporary eel traps are allowing us to monitor and assess upstream migration to help determine where a permanent eel ladder should be installed.

Landfill-gas-to-energy

Landfill-gas-to-energy generating plants capture methane from decomposing garbage that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere or flared off, and use it to generate clean, renewable energy. Because methane is a very potent

greenhouse gas, the resulting reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is enormous – millions of tons of CO2 equivalent per year for each facility. The company’s two landfill-gas-to-energy plants have a combined output capacity of 10.2 megawatts.

Solar power

Hydro Ottawa also operates several small-scale solar power installations, both adjacent to and on the rooftops of its facilities. The company has plans to develop larger solar installations in collaboration with the City of Ottawa, including at the Trail Road and Nepean landfill sites and on the rooftops of a number of City facilities.

Investing in positive outcomes in our community

A good corporate citizen is a lot like a good neighbour: willing to lend

a helping hand, concerned with the well-being of others, and committed

to the common good.

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13 Hydro Ottawa seeks to contribute to positive outcomes in our community through

our Brighter Tomorrows Community Investment Program. The program has

several components, which are outlined below. Our investments in the community are

targeted to align with our strategic business objectives, and carefully chosen to have

the maximum impact.

Brighter Tomorrows Fund

Since 2003, Hydro Ottawa has been matching the total amount raised by employees in our annual United Way campaign. In partnership with United Way Ottawa, we developed a targeted community investment fund to put these corporate matching dollars to best use, in ways that are closely aligned with our mission as a company.

The Hydro Ottawa Brighter Tomorrows Fund helps local community agencies that serve people who are homeless, or at risk of being homeless, to complete small capital projects that will improve their energy efficiency. These projects help agencies improve their facilities and provide more comfortable living spaces while producing energy cost savings that can be redirected

into programming. Agencies win, their clients win, and the environment wins, through more sustainable energy use by organizations that would otherwise lack the funds to make the necessary upgrades.

The Fund is administered in partnership with United Way. Since its inception in 2011, more than $359,000 has been contributed in support of 35 energy efficiency projects completed by 17 frontline community agencies. Projects range from window replacements to the installation of high-efficiency fans, appliances and boiler systems.

“The Brighter Tomorrows Fund is a partnership between United Way Ottawa and Hydro Ottawa that looks at investing dollars in the community. The Hydro Ottawa community benefits from participating in investing in a community that they live in. Hydro Ottawa’s Brighter Tomorrows Fund and its employees really allow for the homeless to live in a comfortable, warm, safe environment, something that you and I take for granted.”

Carole Gagnon, Vice President, United Way Ottawa

‘‘

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‘‘ “Operation Come Home has been working with Hydro Ottawa on a number of energy savings grants, volunteering opportunities and events for this past couple of years.  In the 30+ years I have worked as an Executive Director, I have never been so warmly treated in a professional, caring and understanding manner.  Hydro Ottawa is an excellent example of corporate social responsibility and gives back to the community with warmth and vigor.  We are very grateful for Hydro Ottawa’s support and passion for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Elspeth McKay, Executive Director, Operation Come Home

In 2012, $85,000 was contributed in support of seven projects, including:

■■ $31,200 to enable Ottawa Salus Corporation to install a high-efficiency boiler heating system, helping them to provide affordable, supportive housing and community support services to people with mental illness who are homeless or at risk of being homeless;

■■ $13,899 to enable Options Bytown Non Profit Housing Corporation to install energy-efficient windows in an eight-room supportive housing facility, helping them to provide community-based, affordable housing and support services for people who need help to live independently due to a history of homelessness, mental illness, concurrent disorders and lack of life skills;

■■ $13,200 to enable the National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA to replace the handles, hinges and weather stripping on all residents’ and tenants’ windows, improving the comfort, safety and energy efficiency of their emergency, transitional and supportive housing facilities; and

■■ $8,500 to enable the Multifaith Housing Initiative to replace 15 old refrigerators with energy efficient ENERGY STAR

models, saving low income tenants $60 per year on their hydro bills.

In 2013, more than $140,000, including $35,000 from the provincial saveONenergy incentive program, was contributed in support of 11 projects, including:

■■ $2,609 to enable St. Joe’s Women’s Centre to purchase an energy efficient refrigerator for this shelter dedicated to the needs of women;

■■ $3,000 to enable St. Joe’s Supper Table to purchase an energy efficient washer and dryer to increase the organization’s capacity to provide hot, nutritious meals to those in need;

Recipients of the 2013 Brighter Tomorrows Fund celebrate at the Ottawa Salus Corporation on October 22.

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13 ■■ $10,833 to enable the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa to purchase efficient washing machines and dishwashers for two shelters: the Young Women’s Emergency Shelter, and the Young Men’s Emergency Shelter. The ENERGY STAR rated commercial dishwashers use up to 40% less water and energy, resulting in potential savings of up to $3,000 per year; and

■■ $12,700 to replace the current washers and dryers at the Youville Centre. This innovative centre motivates, educates and nurtures young mothers aged 15 to 21 to become self-sufficient, contributing members of society, while providing a high quality licensed child development program for children aged 2 months to 3 years.

“…Many low-income people feel that it’s their own fault that no matter what they do, they’re just not good enough. Suddenly, you realize that people do care – people at Hydro Ottawa, people at United Way, ordinary people in the community in your neighbourhood.”

Susan Evans, Executive Director, Multifaith Housing‘‘Brighter Tomorrows Community Partnership Investments

In addition to the use of our United Way campaign matching dollars through the Brighter Tomorrows Fund, Hydro Ottawa also supports a limited number of worthwhile community initiatives through our Community Partnership Investments. These are sponsorships and donations to organizations or events that have youth as an underlying theme and prioritize one or more of three focus areas: education/capacity building; health, safety and wellness; and renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation. These partnerships help Hydro Ottawa to maintain strong ties with our community, and to support positive outcomes that align with our own strategic objectives.

For example, in November 2011, Carleton University and Hydro Ottawa opened the Hydro Ottawa Laboratory for Smart Grid Technologies for use in the University’s

innovative program in sustainable and renewable energy engineering. The lab is devoted to experimentation with emerging intelligent electricity infrastructure, and includes real-time monitoring, analysis and control capabilities. The Lab will assist Hydro Ottawa in the implementation of our five-year Grid Transformation Action Plan, while helping to educate tomorrow’s industry leaders on smart grid technologies.

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In 2012, Hydro Ottawa supported the University of Ottawa’s “Strat24” competition. Strat24 is a 24-hour multidisciplinary academic competition for University of Ottawa Management and Engineering students. The 2012 edition engaged 32 top business and engineering students to tackle a sustainability business challenge: developing a business model for a network of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in downtown Ottawa. Hydro Ottawa provided judges for this competition and had the honour of recognizing the first place team.

In 2012, Hydro Ottawa sponsored Canada’s largest annual Corporate and Community

Social Responsibility (CCSR) conference which celebrates and showcases excellence in CCSR. We also participated in the Eco-District panel discussion at this event where thought leaders from across North America were in attendance.

In 2013, Hydro Ottawa partnered with Christie Lake Kids to fund the establishment of the “Hydro Ottawa Sustainable Youth Leadership Centre”, which provides a unique opportunity for youth to learn experientially about alternative energy, while building leadership skills. The facility is integral to Christie Lake Kids’ “Leaders in Training” Program, provided free to economically disadvantaged youth from across Ottawa.

Other initiatives supported through our Community Partnership Investments include CHEO’s “Plan-It Safe” injury prevention initiative, the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa’s Homework Club, the Dare to Dream bursaries of the Children’s Aid Foundation, as well as bursaries of the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation and St. Joe’s Women’s Centre.

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Brighter Tomorrows Employee Volunteer Day

Many Hydro Ottawa employees are active volunteers in our community, and Hydro Ottawa supports these efforts by allowing employees to volunteer one paid day per year to participate in a corporate initiative, or another registered charity of their choice.

In 2012, 56 employees participated, for a total of 402 volunteer hours invested in our community. In 2013, 105 employees invested 1,242 volunteer hours.

One of the year’s highlights continues to be Special Needs Day, an annual event in which Hydro Ottawa volunteers help provide more than 900 children with disabilities exclusive access to the Gloucester Fair.

Community Action Days, coordinated by Volunteer Ottawa and sponsored by United Way, play a central role in our Employee Volunteer Day program. They connect workplace teams with community organizations, fostering teamwork and making a concrete difference in the community. In 2012, 21 employees used their talents in support of four local agencies as part of Community Action Days and 23 employees volunteered in 2013.

“My most memorable moment would have to be helping three kids onto the Ferris wheel and joining them on the ride... As we were on the ride – the little girl next to me asked the two boys across from us why they had no feet – they responded we were born without feet... But for those seven minutes on the ride I was fortunate to get to know each of them a little better... they were awesome! The little boy turned to me before going on the ride and mentioned to me that he was scared of heights... I told him that if he was too scared to close his eyes. He left the ride with a smile and told me he was coming back – SURE enough he did! What an awesome experience!!!”

Hydro Ottawa Employee

‘‘

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Brighter Tomorrows Mandated Investments

Hydro Ottawa is required to fund certain programs in accordance with provincial regulations.

The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program is a year-round, province-wide emergency financial assistance program developed by the Ontario Energy Board for low-income electricity customers who are experiencing difficulty paying their energy bills. In 2012, Hydro Ottawa contributed $154,232 to help 435 low-income households to pay their electricity bills, benefitting 1,200 Ottawa residents,

including 625 children. In 2013, $187,912 was provided to 540 households assisting 1,556 individuals, including 695 children.

In addition, Hydro Ottawa’s Home Assistance Program, mandated by the Ontario Power Authority, provides free energy audits and professional installation of energy efficiency measures for qualifying low-income households. In 2012, this program helped 505 Ottawa households to reduce their energy expenses. This has increased to 1,003 households in 2013.

Our Commitment to United Way

United Way Ottawa  @UnitedWayOttawa5 Dec Congrats to @HydroOttawa &

employees for their continued support raising a record amount for this year’s #uwott campaign...

Hydro Ottawa has been conducting a United Way Workplace campaign since

2001, and has raised more than $1.5 million for United Way Ottawa over that period. In 2012, our employee-driven United Way campaign raised a record $201,950, and was recognized by United Way Ottawa with a Community Builder Award for Best Community Campaign. In 2013, Hydro Ottawa raised $228,415, once again establishing a

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13 new record. For the past two years, Hydro Ottawa has held the distinction of being the largest contributor among the more than 100 companies in the Construction, Manufacturing and Services sector.

Hydro Ottawa also participates in the United Way Loaned Representative Program by loaning an employee to the United Way during the 16-week campaign.

United Way Contributions 2001–2013

0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

2013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001

Max Keeping @max_keeping22 Jun 12 Proud to be thanking employees of @HydroOttawa for their outstanding leadership with @UnitedWayOttawa. Very caring workforce.

Over $1.5 million raised since 2001

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Helping our neighboursHydro Ottawa’s culture of helping others in need is particularly

evident when our neighbours require assistance to restore power

during devastating events.

Ottawa was spared the full impact of Hurricane Sandy in October of 2012 however, the storm had a devastating effect in the northeastern United States. Hydro Ottawa responded right away by dispatching crews to Connecticut and New Jersey to help restore power to about half a million residents. Hydro Ottawa was proud to send some of our best and brightest to help alleviate the suffering caused by this devastating storm, and to help get life back to normal as quickly as possible for our southern neighbours.

This past spring of 2013, thousands of customers in Peterborough and the surrounding area were without power due to wind and freezing rain downing power lines, Hydro Ottawa responded immediately to requests for help in restoring power to 30,000 customers and repairing broken poles.

Most recently, in December 2013, the Toronto area and much of Eastern and Central Ontario experienced a significant ice storm where hundreds of thousands of customers lost power. Recognizing the size and scope of the devastation, utilities in these communities reached out to neighbouring utilities, including Hydro Ottawa, to provide assistance. Hydro

Ottawa was extremely pleased that, without hesitation, a number of our employees volunteered to give up their holidays with family and loved ones to help restore power to residents in the hard hit communities of Picton, Brampton and Toronto.

ConclusionHydro Ottawa’s commitment to a sustainable future for our community

is front of mind in everything we do – from the assets we purchase to the

engagement of our employees, to ensuring brighter tomorrows for the

communities we serve.

Moving forward we will continue to cultivate Corporate Citizenship as a key area of

focus in our Strategic Direction. Priorities for 2014 include looking for new ways to:

reduce our carbon footprint, generate renewable energy, promote conservation among

our customers, partner with community organizations, all of which will once again

demonstrate our leadership in corporate responsibility.