A direct result of the Network was that a number of contractors that were operating in larger centres out of their home made the de- cision to move to commercial locations so that they would benefit from Network membership. Fast forward 20 years and Network membership continues to grow in both urban and rural locations. Many Saskatchewan natural gas retailers and contractors have made a business decision to join the Network because they value the additional profile and extended services it gives their businesses. In fact, the Network has helped many rural businesses to compete effectively with major urban retailers through such tools as in-store financing, promotional campaigns and AIR MILES® offerings which they could not easily access individually. Currently there are a total of 152 Residential Network members located in 56 communities throughout Saskatchewan. The program was groundbreaking when it was launched in 1998 and continues to provide Saskatchewan homeowners and businesses with natural gas appliances and energy efficiency programs that are unparal- leled in Canada. As the Network continued to grow and thrive, SaskEnergy repre- sentatives met again with the Mechanical Contractors Association of Saskatchewan. This time to discuss a commercial program and the result was the development and launch of the SaskEnergy Commercial Network in June of 2005. The SaskEnergy Commercial Network currently consists of 65 qualified commercial contractors who work together to introduce programs and services that benefit the commercial contractors and their eligible clients. James Gates, SaskEnergy’s Director, Customer Solutions, commented, “The Commercial Boiler Program and Commercial HVAC Program continue to make a significant impact for building owners and their tenants. The commercial programs encourage them to choose high-efficiency HVAC equipment and result in lower energy costs.” Since the creation of the SaskEnergy networks there have been oth- er collaborations, and one of the most significant was the opening of the SaskEnergy Training Centre in Saskatoon in January of 2010. The centre was designed to provide a space for technical training for SaskEnergy employees and for members of the private sector industry. The MCAS played a key role in ensuring the centre was built – members of MCA Sask donated the heating and mechanical equipment, mechanical contracting services as well as consultation during the develop phase of the facility. This partnership was the first of its kind in Canada. The centre includes a technical training lab, classrooms, and the unique feature of all mechanical equipment used for heating, ventilation and cooling exposed, providing students with fully functioning learning models. The opening of the training centre allowed MCA Saskatchewan to expand the role of its education committee. The association could look at offering technical hands on training courses. Students now had the ability to put to practice the theory they were taught in the classroom. The training centre has allowed MCAS to develop its own technical training classes that are designed specifically for the mechanical contractor and would not have been possible without the access to the training lab. What’s next? The MCAS and SaskEnergy will continue to partner on projects that will benefit the industry across the province. Commercial Network Dialogue Group 30 MCAS www.mca-sask.com FEATURE