Características técnicas

Dialogue with stakeholders — customers, communities, businesses, landowners, Aboriginal groups, municipalities, regulators and government agencies — is essential when we are beginning work to construct new infrastructure or undertake significant upgrades to existing facilities. SaskPower’s consultation programs typically include early contact with local officials; distribution of detailed project information; open house sessions; meetings with individuals and interest groups; media releases; advertisements; and direct correspondence and discussion.

In 2013, stakeholders were engaged on approximately 40 transmission projects, including the: Saskatoon Area Reinforcement; Pasqua to Swift Current Transmission Line; Chaplin Wind Interconnection; Morse Wind Interconnection; Superb Area Reinforcement; Winter Area Reinforcement; Golden Lake to Edam Transmission Line; Jansen Area Reinforcement; and Kisbey Substation and Transmission Line. Stakeholder consultations continued in Swift Current and Lanigan regarding potential sites for a new natural gas generation project.

During these consultations, 59 project presentations were delivered to rural municipal, city, town and village councils and 36 public open house information sessions were held across the province. In 2013, consultations were also ongoing with Aboriginal communities on the I1K — Island Falls to Key Lake — Transmission Line and the northern fibre expansion and Winn Bay distribution projects.

ABORIGINAL RELATIONS

The importance of Saskatchewan’s First Nations and Métis communities is reflected in SaskPower’s comprehensive Aboriginal Relations Strategy, which provides a framework to build positive long-term relationships with Aboriginal communities and to enable the achievement of specific business objectives for our company. It supports Aboriginal economic development activities in Saskatchewan and promotes clear and open communication in response to social, economic and environmental issues that are of mutual concern.

SaskPower’s strategy focuses on four key areas: business development; community engagement; community investment; and employment. In 2013, our company and strategy were recognized at the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Awards for achieving a committed level in Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR). PAR is a corporate social responsibility program that recognizes business’ dedication to Aboriginal relations. According to PAR, SaskPower scored high in Aboriginal business development and leadership commitment to Aboriginal relations.

In 2013, SaskPower launched the Certified Workforce Education Program in collaboration with the Black Lake First Nation. Students are participating in an on-site, hands-on training course facilitated by our company. Band members are learning skills that will make them eligible for employment in the construction industry.

During the year, the first 20 students successfully completed the program. It is being presented with assistance from Northlands College, and with funding from Aboriginal Affairs Northern Development Canada, Prince Albert Grand Council, and Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Economy.

SaskPower continues to engage the community of Sandy Bay regarding impacts of the Island Falls Hydroelectric Station, which was constructed over 80 years ago and is two kilometres away from the community. The purpose is to acknowledge the complex history between Sandy Bay residents and the Island Falls Hydroelectric Station operations and to strengthen relationships.

COMMUNITY

In 2013, a new SaskPower Community Engagement Policy was approved and became effective January 1, 2014. It will improve SaskPower’s sponsorship practices by more closely aligning to our company’s strategic priorities. The new policy is focused on educational programming within three areas: workforce excellence (building our next generation of employees); safety (keeping our customers safe around electricity); and conservation and efficiency (creating a community of customers who find ways to save power and protect our environment).

During the year, our community partnership and investment program consisted of more than $3.7 million of funding. Highlights include $1 million provided each to Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) to fund programs aligned with SaskPower’s future employment needs. SIAST will allocate its sponsorship funds toward building the Power Engineering Technology and Electrical Engineering Technology Programs. SIIT’s sponsorship funds will be put toward upgrading the skills of Aboriginal students so that they can meet the necessary requirements to enter trades programs.

Our company also signed a three-year agreement with Mother Teresa Middle School (MTMS) to support the institution’s Graduate Support Program and Mentorship Program. MTMS identifies up to 20 youth per year and provides them with a Government of Saskatchewan Ministry-approved, middle school education. These youth are highly motivated marginalized students who live in the inner city of Regina. MTMS aims to help break the cycle of poverty in its target families through the application of its unique model.

In 2013, through the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, SaskPower provided funding for Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) research. This research is a trial for patients suffering from Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH), an enlargement of the prostate gland. This is the first trial of its kind in Regina and in Canada. The two-year trial is focused on treating 50 patients and recording the data to continue the research and development of PAE.

A three-year partnership with the Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club was also formed to highlight SaskPower’s safety and conservation messages through the SaskPower Kiss Cam, keystone board advertising, block heater timer giveaways and an interactive tackling dummy display. The partnership gives SaskPower opportunities to educate customers on safety, as well as conservation and efficiency programs.

During the year, our employees logged over 11,000 hours of volunteer time with community organizations and gave over $28,000 to the same institutions. Meanwhile, employees from across the province raised more than $373,000 for the United Way (including SaskPower’s matching donation), while Canadian Blood Services named SaskPower one of the top 10 performers for units donated in Saskatchewan in 2013.

Performance measure

CORPORATE REPUTATION INDEX (10-POINT SCALE) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Target 7.0 7.3 7.2 7.3 7.4 Actual 7.2 7.1

The Corporate Reputation Index is derived from an annual customer survey and is measured on a 10-point scale. It evaluates SaskPower’s reputation with respect to the areas of trust, transparency, commitment to meeting expectations, satisfaction and stakeholder input response.

In 2013, stakeholder surveys were completed and the Corporate Reputation Index of 7.1 was slightly below the target. This is due to decreased ratings by residential and commercial customers. The ratings by Major Accounts improved while ratings by Key Accounts were static. In 2013, SaskPower switched to a bi-annual survey schedule for strategic partners. As a result, 2012 data was used to populate the 2013 index for this group.