FortisBC is empowering new immigrants with natural gas advice
When FortisBC became aware that it wasn’t reaching the multilingual community in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia with news of its energy efficiency programs, the utility set out to break the language barrier.
Empower Me began in 2012 as a brainchild of East Africa native Areef Abraham, who settled his family in Vancouver in 1993 and later approached FortisBC with the idea of creating a program to pair new immigrants (referred to as “champions”) with trusted community members (called “mentors”) to provide education and advice on natural gas energy services, appliances and energy efficiency in the primary language of the immigrants.
FortisBC supported the idea and became a founding and financial partner in the program. Since then, Empower Me mentors have visited the homes of nearly 2,000 champions.
“This program allows FortisBC to reach customers we may not be reaching through our other channels,” Sarah Johnson, manager of the Conservation & Energy Management Program at FortisBC, told American Gas. “For the customer, trust is developed as a connection is made within their own trusted communities and languages. This helps to reassure new Canadians and provide education they need around their natural gas bill and energy efficiency.”
Feedback has been positive. “For champions, it is an eye-opening experience to have someone come into their home and explain how natural gas works, from finding out they cannot hang laundry above their water heater to understanding how to efficiently run their heating system. I think what is appreciated the most is the one-on-one relationship and the time the mentors put into educating new Canadians,” Johnson said.
Community Power hires and trains the mentors, who promote the program within their communities to new Canadians who are natural gas customers. Mentors utilize their own networks, whether it’s their child’s school, a church or community group, to encourage their contacts to become involved in the program. Currently, Empower Me’s mentors speak eight languages.
To other utilities interested in starting a similar program, Johnson advises a foundation of good research—and patience. “Community-based social marketing takes a significant amount of lead-up and time. However, it works and reaches customers directly,” she said. “Be prepared that you may not see a return right away given this, and build in a period of growth.”