Terasen Gas to Open Two New British Columbia Contact Centers

Terasen Gas will be opening two new contact centers in the Canadian province of British Columbia, one at as-yet-to-be-decided location in the Metro Vancouver/Lower Mainland area and the other in Prince George, in the north by January 2012. It is also adding a billing operations centre and an updated customer information system. These new facilities and operation will result in approximately 300 jobs for the gas utility.


Terasen had been outsourcing its customer care; the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved its application move to an in-house customer care operating model. The firm is ultimately and indirectly owned by Fortis Inc., the largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada.

“The approval to move to a new customer care operating model will help to ensure we can meet the growing needs of our customers in what is, and will continue to be, a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive energy marketplace,” explained Doug Stout, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Terasen Gas. “Our customer care services will be delivered by B.C.-based, Terasen Gas employees, who will be familiar with local energy and environmental considerations and with the evolving, expanding, and often more complex, suite of products and services we offer to our customers.”

The first of two new contact centers will be located in Prince George. It will create more than 100 new jobs there, as well as future economic benefits for the local community, which has been hard hit with the economic downturn and from the mountain pine beetle outbreak that has devastated the forestry industry that the city and its region depends on.

While communities like Prince George have sought nearshore contact centers, the strong Canadian dollar have driven many that have set up in Canada back to the U.S. In-house Canadian-customer-supporting centers like Terasen’s provide, say observers, a more stable source of employment.

Terasen Gas is still finalizing the details for the second center which would create approximately 200 additional jobs to support both contact centre and billing operations. The firm is headquartered in Surrey, which part of the Metro Vancouver area.

“As the economic development authority in Prince George, we are very pleased that Terasen Gas has chosen Prince George and is bringing 100 new jobs to our downtown core,” said Tim McEwan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Initiatives Prince George. “This is a big win for Prince George, and we look forward to welcoming Terasen Gas within our community.”

An updated customer information system will allow Terasen Gas to be more responsive in implementing new service offerings to customers. These include expanded energy conservation programs, and will replace the system that has been in service for more than ten years.

Terasen Gas is finalizing next steps in Prince George, which include renovations and improvements to the contact center building, as well as plans for recruiting and hiring of a local workforce with a strong customer focus, which will commence in mid-2011.

“An in-house customer care department and customer information system in our City's downtown will enhance the heart of our city and displays the confidence Terasen Gas has in our community and in our future,' added Mayor Dan Rogers, City of Prince George. “We welcome them with open arms.”