Hydro Ottawa’s Evolution to a Technology-Driven Organization Places it Among the National Capital Region’s Top Employers
March 11, 2025
Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) won a spot among the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.
As the energy sector enters the fourth industrial revolution, it’s more apparent than ever that automation, cyber-physical systems (CPS), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, cognitive computing, and artificial intelligence, are all playing a part in how Hydro Ottawa has evolved into a technology-driven organization.
Hydro Ottawa is a private company 100 per cent owned by the city of Ottawa and whose core businesses include electricity distribution, renewable energy generation, energy solutions, telecommunications and utility services.
The company operates four primary subsidiary companies, and offers exciting careers for employees with expertise in emerging technology fields like data analytics, sustainability, and cybersecurity. This shift is driven by evolving industry demands in the energy sector and a rising need for electricity due to electrification, clean energy, data centre growth, and Ottawa’s expansion.
Quick Facts
- Across its companies, Hydro Ottawa invests close to 40 hours per employee annually on training in trades and safe work practices, business skills, management and leadership development. The company continues to modernize its training and development programs, enabling employees to access micro learning anytime and anywhere on any device. A constantly growing eLearning library of courses, videos and ebooks for professional and skill development keeps employees learning, when it works for them. For field employees, new virtual reality training modules are changing the way they learn and practice their trade. Leaders benefit from a Conversation AI Simulator, an innovative generative AI based tool for simulating business and leadership conversational skills.
- Hydro Ottawa places an emphasis on the health and wellbeing of its employees through its healthcare benefits, fitness and wellness programs, paid volunteer day, and employee assistance programs. The company has a fully digital, therapist-led, cognitive behavioural therapy program designed to help employees and their families struggling with mental health challenges.
- The company raised more than $151,000 for the Royal Ottawa Prompt Care Clinic, made $158,000 in sponsorships and donations to local organizations supporting vulnerable groups, and raised nearly $142,000 through its annual employee fundraising campaign (vis-à-vis with corporate matching) for the United Way of East Ontario.
- Hydro Ottawa fosters a safe and inclusive culture that enhances employee engagement and innovation, and strengthens partnerships in the community. In addition to its own gender equity commitment goals, Hydro Ottawa has established external partnerships with Algonquin College’s We Saved You as Seat Program and Carleton University’s Women in Engineering and IT Program to increase gender equity in trades, technical, engineering and leadership roles.
- Hydro Ottawa supports employees through key stages in their lives, and also invests in their families through programs like mental health support extended to family members.
- Hydro Ottawa’s talent attraction strategy has succeeded in recruiting young talent, with nearly 40 per cent of employees aged 35 and under. Further, employees are supported by tuition subsidies, a comprehensive digital learning platform, and programs designed to enhance their professional growth.
