WAHA Staff Providing Healthcare Services to Aboriginal Communities in Northern Ontario Complete the Building Operator Certification Course

A proud moment in time for the staff of the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA). Posing for a picture are the WAHA staff that completed the learning requirements of the Building Operator Certification course.

The course was an integral part of an Energy Conservation and Demand Management Project completed through funding support of the IESO and which involved audits of WAHA facilities along the West coast of James Bay, opportunity assessment reports for each facility, and development of business case to support CDM projects selected and initiated by WAHA administration and staff. Education and Capacity Building became a major component of the project and the BOC course was offered to WAHA staff as a means of embedding knowledge within the organization that will result in ongoing energy conservation efforts, and maintenance of energy conservation measures already completed by the organization.

It is worthy to note that, since the initiation of the BOC course, WAHA administration, and staff, have completed CDM projects involving lighting system replacement and retrofit, window and exterior door replacement, re-engineering of condensate return lines, steam trap repair and replacement, and data collection processes for electricity and fuel oil consumption at the various sites. Projects that had been envisioned by WAHA administration prior to the course delivery, and completed with participation and involvement of BOC trained staff. All projects have had good returns to date and exceed original business case projections and all have been completed with input from staff, and with great support from the organizations administration. Case studies of selected projects are expected to be released in the near future.

Paul Gray, Vice-President Support Services, for the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA), is quoted as saying that the BOC course was initiated as a means to recognize the exemplary trade skills of WAHA maintenance staff, and to offer them a means to gain meaningful certification that is applicable to their vocation.

Congratulations to all the participants that completed the intensive, nine day, course. Job well done.