In an exercise in self-deprecation, Hydro-Québec created an internal video in which two costumed directors humorously explain why Hydro customers have to wait so long for a connection.
• Also read: Almost three years of waiting for Hydro: A young couple from Saint-Donat, still without electricity, fears the onset of winter
Radio-Canada journalist Thomas Gerbet obtained the internal video in which two managers dressed as fishermen describe the arduous and bureaucratic process faced by Hydro customers seeking to connect to the grid.
Hydro-Québec mocks its connection delays in an internal video. Two directors disguised as fishermen describe a process worthy of the “12 Works”. [d’Astérix] » to connect newly built houses. Details: https://t.co/efD0KT7hmp pic.twitter.com/hnK2hWXQgR
— Thomas Gerbet (@ThomasGerbet) October 24, 2023
In one excerpt, we hear one of the characters, after listing the countless steps of the process, conclude: “Do you have a wood stove? I think you will need it this winter, we have so many requests.
““It’s in bad taste,” says Simon Plourde, who has been waiting for the connection from Hydro-Québec for more than two and a half years. “But it still makes me laugh because it’s not as bad as it happens,” he says.
The internal video was also the subject of a debate in the National Assembly, in which Quebec Solidaire MP Haroun Bouazzi questioned Minister Pierre FItzgibbon, claiming: “In the midst of the housing crisis, we ask ourselves where the priorities lie.” [du gouvernement]», which subsequently suggests that the multinational companies that have recently decided to invest in Quebec, particularly Nortvolt, have been treated better than ordinary customers of Hydro-Québec.
Hydro-Québec responds
When asked by Le Journal who the target audience for this video was, spokeswoman Caroline Des Rosiers said: “Contrary to what Radio-Canada writes, we are in no way “amused” by connection delays to our network. This video was intended to highlight the importance of the mandate, which aims to simplify the process for our customers,” she replied via email.
“The video was presented to a group of employees to set the table for a discussion about a process of continuous improvement regarding the process of connecting to our network,” she adds.
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