Jean-Philippe Martin’s journey, from a curious undergrad at McGill’s Bieler School of Environment to a key figure at Hydro-Québec, reads like a roadmap for anyone wondering how to turn environmental passion into real-world impact.
“I started my undergrad in 2003,” Martin recalls, back when interdisciplinary environmental studies were just beginning to take shape. That early exposure to a mix of biology, geography, and climate science laid the foundation for a career that would eventually bridge academia, consulting, and corporate strategy.
Earning his master’s and PhD at the Université de Québec à Montréal, where he focused on geomorphology and geohazards, Martin dove into postdoctoral research on stream flow and snow avalanches—natural phenomena increasingly shaped by climate change. But it was in the consulting world, where he truly began to apply his knowledge. “In 2018,” he says, “there were no standards in doing a climate change risk assessment, we started this business being three or four.”
Within a few years, Martin helped grow the team to over 20 people, riding a wave of growing interest in climate resilience from governments and private investors alike. That momentum eventually led him to Hydro-Québec in 2021, where he now leads the company in climate change adaptation.
So what does that mean, exactly?
Central to his work is conducting climate change risk assessments for infrastructure projects, Martin explained. Whether it’s a power plant in northern Quebec or a transmission line in the south, His team evaluates how future climate hazards—think floods, droughts, forest fires—might impact operations. “We facilitate engaged workshops with engineers looking at climate risk from a future climate perspective”
Martin also plays a key role in updating Hydro-Québec’s climate change adaptation plan, one of the first of its kind among public corporations in Quebec. He collaborates with internal teams, leads workshops, and co-manages research projects with partners like the RENOS consortium. “It’s a lot,” he admits, “But we need to address it, because at the end of the day, we provide an essential service to the population.”
Despite the technical nature of his work, Martin never loses sight of the human impact. He recalls the lessons learned from Hurricane Debby, when flooding in power station basements in Montréal caused widespread outages. “We installed, more pumping capacity in those basements. After a recent similar storm, we had next to no basements flooded.”
Martin’s passion for the environment isn’t confined to the office. He’s an avid outdoorsman and father of four, often found hiking or skiing with his family. “From amazement, you go all the way to action,” he says paraphrasing Henry David Thoreau, and American naturalist and essayist, “just go take a walk in the woods first, and you’ll engage in an ongoing connection with the natural world.”
For young people considering a career in environmental science, Martin offers both realism and hope. “Yes, there’s frustration—funding cuts, political inertia—but action is empowering. Whether through your career or community involvement, you can make a difference.”
And if you’re wondering whether one person can really change things, Martin’s story is proof that you can. Sometimes, being in the right place at the right time—with the right mindset—is all it takes to help shape a more resilient future.