Career opportunities with Arctic Arrow

The expansion of services by Arctic Arrow Powerline Group means more job opportunites in the East Kootenay

Arctic Arrow Powerline Group's new shop in Sparwood, B.C., will provide a base for crews and equipment. — Photo courtesy Arctic Arrow Powerline Group

Arctic Arrow Powerline Group (AAPG) expanded their services into the Elk Valley in southern B.C. last year with the opening of an office in Sparwood. Construction is now underway on a permanent shop, which will provide a base for the trucks, equipment and line crews.

“We opened the Sparwood branch last year with a temporary office, and are now excited to be nearing completion of a permanent shop that will house our local staff and include bays for our equipment,” said Mike Honeyman, general manger of the Kootenay division of AAPG.

AAPG is in the business of providing power and utility construction, as well as planning services. It provides province-wide service to BC Hydro and many other clients.

“We build and maintain the lines,” said Honeyman, “We also provide in-house design and engineering services to ensure the projects run smoothly from design to construction.”

Improved response time

AAPG’s main client in the Elk Valley is Teck Coal. With the establishment of a shop in Sparwood, AAPG is closer to the base of Teck’s operations, and that will result in improved response times because crews will be set up right in the community. The completion of the new shop will result in new opportunities for employment, though the numbers of employees needed will fluctuate, depending on the volume of work that’s required.

Honeyman noted that as well as powerline technicians, there may be positions for people with a variety of skillsets.

“We will also have opportunities for machine operators, drivers, project managers and engineers,” he said. “Our trucks will need servicing, too, and we’ll go to local providers for that. We like to be part of the community that we’re working in, to be a contributing factor in the success of the businesses in the area.”

AAPG has a history of giving back to the communities in which they operate, supporting charitable and community events.

“We are a community-oriented company and have been working in the Elk Valley for some time now,” said Honeyman. “We are pleased to offer a full service system to our clients in the Elk Valley and to have more opportunities to form associations with our neighbors. We like to be part of the community that we’re working in, to be a contributing factor in the success of the businesses in the area.”

A trade with a future

Honeyman said that the trade of powerline technician has a good future.

“The expansion of our services creates opportunities for local kids coming out of school to start the four-year, on-the-job apprenticeship program,” he said. It’s challenging work, for sure, but a rewarding career, especially for young people who want to stay in this area. We will also have opportunities for machine operators, drivers, project managers and engineers.”

Honeyman said Arctic Arrow is a great company to work for and that employee and workplace safety is at the core of everything they do.

“We have internal and external safety training programs; our crews learn to consider the consequences of every move. They are trained well and there’s a real camaraderie that develops. Everybody wants everybody to go home safe at the end of the day.”

The new facility in Sparwood will be a base for Aeron Hayward, AAPG’s safety co-ordinator; Julian Bouvier, who manages the yard; and Al Frenette, the general foreman of the Sparwood branch of AAPG. The branch administration will still be based in Cranbrook with main headquarters in Surrey, B.C.

The new facility, located at 602 Sparwood Avenue, is scheduled for completion in June. Honeyman said there has been no interruption to services provided to their clients during the construction process.