Canada Promotes Indigenous Participation in Quebec’s Energy Sector

August 30, 2019            Ottawa, Ontario                Natural Resources Canada

The best solutions for combating climate change in rural and remote Indigenous communities come from the people who live there. This is why the Government of Canada is working with Indigenous peoples to ensure that they participate in and benefit from natural resource projects.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced over $230,000 in funding over two years for a renewable energy project run by the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Sustainable Development Institute (FNQLSDI) to increase communities’ knowledge of renewable energy.

The project will involve and benefit the 43 First Nations in Quebec and Labrador, with a special focus on off-grid communities and off-grid infrastructure.

The funding will allow FNQLSDI to educate communities about the importance and advantages of renewable energy through in-person training. First Nations communities will also receive ongoing project development guidance and technical support for renewable energy projects. Initiatives such as this will help to ensure First Nations play a leading role in renewable energy projects as their communities transition away from diesel.

Funding for the project comes from the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program. The six-year, $220-million program aims to reduce reliance on diesel in rural and remote communities by deploying and demonstrating renewable energy, encouraging energy efficiency and building local skills and capacity. It is part of the Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, which invests more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada’s rural and northern communities.