National Electricity Month 2025

Chris McLaren

Chris is an electrical reliability specialist at our Brandon, Manitoba facility and has been with Koch Fertilizer Canada for 12 years. He learned his craft at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary. With two decades of commercial and industrial electrical experience, Chris has worked in a variety of settings — houses, restaurants, hotels, high rises, car dealerships, bars and oil and gas facilities, just to name a few.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

“Building relationships with other areas of the plant — production, engineering and other trades — and growing my knowledge of plant systems and equipment. Also, fixing issues and thinking of ways to keep failures and downtime to a minimum.”

What advice would you give to a new hire working in an electrical role?

“Listen carefully and stay aware. You have the right for clarification if you don’t understand what is being asked of you. This is a challenging but rewarding industry with tons of opportunities, and it’s constantly changing so it doesn’t get stale.”

Have you had any strong mentors in your career?

“I’ve had many strong influences and knowledgeable teammates over the years. There are too many intelligent journeymen and coworkers who have taught me things over the years to name.”

What electrical safety tips can you share?

“The risks are always there, so fight complacency when it comes to safety. If you are unsure if it is safe, find someone who can help make sure.”