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2025 was a busy and productive year for Utility Safety Partners. This edition of USP eNews looks back at some of the highlights from the past year as we close things out and prepare for 2026...and maybe even a few rhymes to celebrate the season, click more for the USP 2025 Chronicles.
In just one year, Utility Safety Partners’ (USP) Alternate Locate Provider (ALP) program has proven to be a game-changer in Alberta’s damage prevention landscape. What began as a bold initiative to expand locator capacity and reduce damages has exceeded expectations, setting a new benchmark for collaboration, efficiency, and safety. Learn More...
Over the last two weeks of February 2025, USP Farmer Safety Breakfasts were held in Vermilion on February 19, Camrose on February 20, Rimbey on February 25, and Lethbridge on February 26, offering local farmers important safety information on a variety of topics. The events were marked by very interactive Q&A sessions, where attendees engaged directly with the speakers and experts to dive deeper into the world of working safely around utilities that serve Albertans every day.
The 2025 Utility Safety Conference, held at the JW Marriott ICE District in Edmonton, was a resounding success, bringing together over 200 industry professionals for two days of education, collaboration, and celebration. This year's theme, "Breaking the Ice, Building a Stronger Community," truly encapsulated the spirit of the event.
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Utility Safety Partners (USP) is excited to announce the release of the Damage Prevention Process – Homeowner Edition, a practical new guide designed specifically to help homeowners dig safely in their yards and on adjacent land. Developed by the USP Best Practices Committee. Learn More...
It was a productive year in USP Operations, and we take our annual pause to reflect on what our incredible team accomplished this year. It is time to catch our breath before we start up new projects for 2026.
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It’s been a long year, but really, I feel that way every year. It’s always a real treat to gather your wits about you, take a deep breath and spend some time reflecting on the progress you’ve made over the course of 12 months! January began like most years. Cold, snowy, and with a sudden surge of excavation due to extended vacation periods over the December Holiday Break. After the first week, I took stock of how things were beginning to move sideways, steeled my resolve, and promptly flew to a warmer climate for a nominal amount of time
Utility Safety Partners presented the USP Industry Recognition Awards for Excavator of the Year, Locator of the Year and Member of the Year at our Safety Conference in Edmonton on April 14th.
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Utility Safety Partners (USP) is thrilled to recognize two exceptional Alberta students as recipients of its 2025 Scholarship Program. Congratulations Spencer Deprez and Lucas Vining! These remarkable individuals have demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence, community involvement, and the promotion of safety – core values that reflect USP’s mission. Learn More...
Utility Safety Partners is excited to announce Stew Purkis as the newest addition to our team of Safety Ambassadors. Starting this month, you may have seen Stew driving around Lethbridge and the Southern Alberta region in his brightly decaled safety-mobile.
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Over the years, you may have noticed many changes in our software. Utility Safety Partners is committed to making the locate process as user friendly as possible. In the past 20 years we have changed software providers multiple times, each change has come with its own challenges and perks, with the ultimate goal of gathering as much information as possible for the responding utility companies, while still making it easy for the excavator to use the service.
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On September 9, 2025, USP hosted its first charity golf tournament. It was a perfect day, with clear blue skies, warm sunshine, and a light breeze rustling the trees as golfers arrived at the prestigious Hamptons Golf Club in Calgary. Learn More...
We all share a common goal: to protect our loved ones, our communities, and ourselves. To achieve this goal in an evolving world, our processes and practices must adapt and improve as new technologies emerge and methods are optimized. The damage prevention process is no exception. Requesting a locate is a critical step in the damage prevention process and the locate request software must continuously evolve to keep up with today’s technology and practices.
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Association News
