When I first met Olivier in February 2015, he was at CSA, and I had been at CIET for just over three years. At that time, CIET was still relatively small with only two staff members. We didn’t yet have the licence to deliver NRCan’s Dollars to $ense (D2$) training material. The vast majority of our training was public, in-person, and focused on programs owned by the Association of Energy Engineers. We were training around 400-500 participants per year.
Fast forward to 2017, on the heels of securing the licence for D2$ training material in mid-2016, we opened a Business Development Manager position. Remembering Olivier’s engaging nature, his clear people skills, and his expertise in the sustainability and training sectors – not to mention his bilingualism – I reached out to him on LinkedIn. During an interview that I conducted in English (to fairly compare candidates), Olivier told me that, ten years from then, he saw himself either in my role or in politics.
Since 2017, CIET has experienced the most significant growth in its 29-year history. Our team has quadrupled. We’ve expanded NRCan’s reach by offering Existing Building Commissioning, D2$, and energy modeling training as well as courses on their Integration and EXPLORE software. We’ve added nearly 40 new training programs to our portfolio. Our private and customized training programs for organizations across Canada have flourished, now making up the majority of our revenue. As highlighted in our recent end-of-year newsletter, we now train 5,000 people annually. And that’s just the beginning. Our work with Save on Energy, supporting the implementation of a comprehensive capability building program in Ontario for over seven years, is just one example of our expanding impacts.
Olivier fully invested himself in CIET’s mission, travelling extensively across the country, spearheading new visibility initiatives like CIET Connect and our Ask Us Anything webinar sessions, and sharing his passion for sustainability, energy efficiency, and capacity building with both our growing team and our vast network.
So, it is with mixed emotions – pride in what we’ve built together and sadness to see him go – that I write this message. Olivier has stretched the boundaries of what CIET offers all while staying true to our core principle: “We’re here to help you.” This mindset has not only won us key contracts over the years, but also, more importantly, fostered lasting relationships with utilities, public institutions, and private organizations across Canada.
Looking ahead, I’m grateful and confident in the strong team of 12 that will carry forward the incredible pipeline of projects Olivier and Lisa Rae, our Business Development Manager, have built. Together, we will continue making an even greater impact on Canada’s energy transition through capacity building.
Please join me in wishing Olivier all the best in his next professional adventure.
Sincerely,
Mathieu Côte
Executive Director, CIET
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