Amy Fraser starts most mornings the same way – wrangling two young children while her husband Tanner packs their lunches, to get them off to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She and her husband Tanner are raising their family, and a dog named Fiona (affectionately known as \u201cFifferdoodle\u201d) in Fort St. John, a city perched on the edge of the boreal forest in northeast British Columbia, where the rhythms of life are shaped by long winters, big sky, an abundance of recreation and the ever-present hum of opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy husband grew up here, but I moved up from Kelowna for the weather\u2026just kidding, I had an amazing work opportunity,\u201d Amy says with a laugh. \u201cSometimes I consider leaving, but we have found a place that is full of heart, and that type of place is where we want our kids to grow up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tanner works in the oil and gas sector, and Amy, with a background in communications, brings her skills to the energy regulator\u2019s efforts to connect the dots between industry, environment, and the public. Their life is a balancing act\u2014between family and work, industry and nature, stability and change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A town where industry and identity intertwine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fort St. John, often shortened to FSJ, a town celebrated for its family-friendly atmosphere, cultural diversity, and respect for Indigenous traditions, where industry is woven into daily life. Fort St. John is a town that wears its work boots with pride. It\u2019s powered by resource extraction, shaped by agriculture, and increasingly influenced by emerging energy projects like wind and hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Amy, the town\u2019s identity is inseparable from the people who live and work there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis place runs on community spirit,\u201d she says. \u201cWe have community fundraising for families in need, people volunteering for sporting events, supporting food banks and stepping up when it counts. Fort St. John might be a little rugged, but its people are generous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amy\u2019s one of those volunteers\u2014coaching soccer, helping at her children\u2019s preschool, and showing up for neighbours. It\u2019s the kind of small-city life where you see the same faces at the grocery store, the hockey arena, and the local fundraisers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But FSJ isn\u2019t without its challenges. A transient population, limited healthcare access, and aging infrastructure test the community\u2019s resilience. Local initiatives, including winter festivals and community gatherings, foster a sense of belonging and unity among residents. But concerns remain about provincial investments in infrastructure like highways and bridges that may be the only route out of town in the event of a wildfire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur region’s contributions to the province are significant,\u201d Amy asserts. \u201cWe are hardworking people who understand the evolving dynamics of the industry and are working to put heat, electricity, air conditioning, etc. into the homes of the rest of the province \u2013 often in trying conditions and at the sacrifice of our own families. It would be nice if that was recognized more broadly.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t expect special treatment,\u201d Amy says. \u201cPeople here are doing the work that powers British Columbia, and they deserve to be seen and appreciated.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t expect special treatment,\u201d Amy says. \u201cBut we do expect respect. People here are doing the work that powers British Columbia, and they deserve to be seen and appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n More than just a job<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amy\u2019s life in FSJ gives her a front-row seat to the complexities of modern resource development. She sees firsthand the tightrope walk between growth and environmental stewardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndustry is not solely about profit,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt is about ensuring the resources we extract lead to a better quality of life while safeguarding our natural surroundings. From supporting local sports teams to funding environmental and archaeological restoration projects, industry gives back to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The narrative that often plays out in southern media\u2014industry versus environment\u2014doesn\u2019t reflect the lived reality of people like Amy, who are raising families on the front lines of that very conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPeople think energy comes from that outlet in the wall. It comes from your neighbours up here in the north, doing our very best for a province we love in a community we love,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking to the horizon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the pressures, Amy is optimistic about Fort St. John\u2019s future. She sees opportunity not just in oil and gas, but in renewables, infrastructure development, and a growing sense of local pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur story isn\u2019t just about extraction\u2014it\u2019s about innovation, community, and resilience,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd it\u2019s about families like ours who are choosing to stay, to build, to invest in the north.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask Amy what she wants people elsewhere in the province to know, and she doesn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy family is proud to contribute to British Columbia\u2019s growth,\u201d she says. \u201cThe commitment to our community and the environment shows this city and its residents are more than industry workers\u2014we also care about our landscape, because it is literally our backyard and our playground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n