For more than two decades, Arts & Science alum Bonnie Hiltz has been part of Canada’s decarbonization efforts, supporting renewable energy procurement and infrastructure across the country.
From public to private, non-profit to agency, Hiltz has worked in every niche of energy. She was recently recognized for her efforts promoting the clean energy transition by the Women in Energy Transformation Series.
“It's been a real honour to be featured there, to have my work put in the spotlight. I'm one part of this tremendous undertaking,” Hiltz says. “I feel so fortunate to have seen this sector from all angles. It gives me a great holistic lens of how to both see and problem-solve challenges.”
A career in energy was not what Hiltz anticipated back in 2001 when she was earning her master’s degree in international relations and public affairs at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, but she says her degree has been key to her success.
“Today I'm applying it to energy, but the discussions about good governance, good policies, stakeholders, who's impacted, who's involved in decision making — all those discussions and case studies and work we did at the University are at play every day with the work I do,” Hiltz says.
During her studies, Hiltz was a research assistant to renowned Canadian economist Sylvia Ostry — who Hiltz points out was a fellow Manitoban.
“It was fantastic, challenging and inspirational,” Hiltz says of her degree. “I was among the top students in Canada. And so my peers were all very inspirational. The quality and calibre of the professors were second to none.”
Hiltz’s most memorable moment during her short but formative year at the Munk School was when the 9/11 attacks occurred. Hiltz remembers phones ringing off the hook as the media tried to get hold of experts at the University.
“A lot of people remember that day for many reasons,” Hiltz says. “But for me, the most impactful was being there in the Munk School at U of T when it happened, among some of the lead thinkers in global affairs.”
Hiltz is now a consultant at the Sussex Strategy Group, working with companies to address their priorities in the electricity field.
“Bonnie is a very thoughtful, creative thinker,” says David Timm, a long-time colleague of Hiltz. “And I think that's why she's been successful throughout her career and why she's had the progressive career that she's had.”
Hiltz and Timm are just two of a small group of people that have been working in renewable energy since the early days, long before it became a core priority for most companies and governments.
“Our kids are about the same age and being able to explain what we're doing to our kids is, as corny as it might sound, important,” Timm says. “Being able to work in this sector is inspiring.”
The clean energy transition has become a priority for Canadians, especially with the ongoing climate crisis and goal of becoming net carbon neutral by 2050. Renewable energy continues to be a pivotal part in that conversation.
“There's a lot of concern about missing targets,” Hiltz says. “I share those concerns. I am fortunate enough to have also seen a huge transition in both the government approach to this topic and the business approach to this topic. And I've seen so much movement recently that it's given me more confidence.”
After graduating from U of T, Hiltz pursued work in economic development. Leveraging her work with Ostry and her global affairs background, Hiltz found a job at an organization in Costa Rica founded by former president and Nobel Peace Laureate Óscar Arias.
“It was a wonderful first job abroad,” Hiltz says. “My Spanish at the time was almost nonexistent and the workplace was in Spanish, so there was also some language learning and cultural learning.”
Hiltz and her husband seriously considered making Costa Rica their permanent home, but it wasn’t meant to be. The pair moved back to Toronto, where Hiltz started at the Ministry of Energy in Ontario.
“I had zero experience with energy, but government, politics, policy were spheres I knew very, very well,” she says. “I came in at an interesting time to jump into all of those policy discussions that continue today about decarbonizing our electricity and energy systems.”
Throughout her career, Hiltz worked a variety of jobs across the energy sector. She moved to a government agency, where she managed energy contracts. She worked for an energy company directly overseeing Canadian government and regulatory affairs. She got private sector experience to balance out the public experience.
In short, she got to know energy issues across Canada.
A staunch supporter of all types of renewables, Hiltz has served as a board member for the Canadian Wind Energy Association, the Canadian Solar Industries Association and the Ontario Waterpower Association.
“It's not a question of picking among different technologies,” Hiltz says. “We need all of it.”