Minister Wilkinson Announces Nearly $10 Million in Clean Energy Support for Indigenous Communities in Saskatchewan

News release

July 11, 2022 Regina, Saskatchewan Natural Resources Canada

The Government of Canada is partnering with Indigenous communities and Indigenous businesses in Saskatchewan to support projects that deliver clean and affordable energy. These projects are critical to building long-term prosperity and energy security, while contributing to Canada’s ambitious climate goals.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, announced investments totalling nearly $10 million for five projects in Saskatchewan that will enhance understanding of energy use and support renewable energy technology in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

These projects include:

$4,374,600 to Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) Program Services to build capacity and develop a regional approach to renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, by and for Indigenous communities.

$2,000,000 to Mee-Toos Forest Products Ltd., a subsidiary of the Peter Ballantyne Group of Companies,for a bioheat project to replace existing propane heating systems at two schools in Pelican Narrows and Deschambault Lake and reduce fossil fuel usage by 90 percent.

$1,604,554 to MLTC Solar Energy to deploy an 816-kilowatt solar farm in the regional municipality of Tecumseh in southern Saskatchewan. The project will be 100-percent owned by the nine First Nations of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and located on Indigenous-owned lands. The solar facility will be a stepping stone for the community to develop other renewable energy projects.

$975,000 to the First Nations Power Authority of Saskatchewan for a capacity-building project focused on Community Energy Planning for Saskatchewan Indigenous communities that currently do not receive natural gas service from SaskEnergy.

$840,000 to the University of Saskatchewan to create a master’s of sustainability in security degree to meet the training needs of northern, remote and Indigenous communities through distance education and purpose-driven practical experience to lead to sustainable community energy development.

These investments demonstrate the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovative projects in the energy and forestry sectors toward a clean, sustainable and competitive energy and resource industry while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, advancing economic reconciliation and fighting climate change.

Quick facts

Federal funding for the MLTC capacity building project and the MLTC Solar Energy project is provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways (SREPs) program, a four-year, $964-million program that provides support for smart renewable energy and electrical grid modernization projects. This program will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enabling increased renewable energy capacity to provide essential grid services while supporting Canada’s ongoing transition to a net-zero economy by 2050 as well as Canada’s commitment to achieving a 100-percent net-zero-emitting electricity system by 2035.
Indigenous Services Canada contributed $250,000 for the MLTC Solar Energy project through the Community Opportunity Readiness Program (CORP). CORP provides project-based funding for First Nation and Inuit communities located in the provinces for a range of activities to support their pursuit of economic opportunities.
Federal funding for the Mee-Toos Forest Products, First Nations Power Authority of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan's projects is provided through Natural Resources Canada's Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program, a $220-million program that strives to reduce reliance on diesel in rural and remote communities by deploying and demonstrating renewable energy projects, encouraging energy efficiency and building local skills and capacity. The program is part of the government’s Investing in Canada plan, a more than $180-billion investment in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy ensures Canada will remain a world leader in clean power. In Budget 2022, Canada committed to investing an additional $600 million over five years to the SREPs program to continue to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects, and it has invested an additional $300 million over five years to ensure that rural, remote and Indigenous communities that currently rely on diesel have the opportunity to be powered by clean, reliable energy.

Contacts

Natural Resources Canada
Media Relations
343-292-6100
media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Keean Nembhard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources
613-323-7892
keean.nembhard@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca

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2022-07-11