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The federal government has committed nearly $7 million to two Indigenous-led renewable energy projects in the NWT.
Federal environment minister Julie Dabrusin announced the funding in Yellowknife on Wednesday afternoon, in what she said was her first official announcement in the role.
Her department committed $4.65 million to the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation for a project to supply ground-mounted solar installation kits to Inuvialuit-owned cabins in the NWT’s Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
The project will include solar panel installation and maintenance workshops in six Inuvialuit communities.
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Ottawa committed a further $2.33 million to improve energy efficiency and low-carbon heating at Denendeh Manor, a four-storey Indigenous-owned apartment building that is home to 11 families and two businesses in Yellowknife.
Planned upgrades to the building, which was built in 2003, include installing a wood pellet biomass heating system, energy-efficient windows and doors, Firesmart siding, enhanced insulation, air sealing, better ventilation, LED lighting and a rooftop solar hot water system with sewage heat recovery.
“It is up to all of us to take meaningful steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while positioning Canada as a global leader in the clean economy,” Dabrusin stated.
“By driving innovation and supporting climate-smart solutions, we are not only protecting our environment – we are building a strong, competitive economy that can thrive in a low-carbon future.”
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Darrell Beaulieu, chief executive officer of Denendeh Manor GP Ltd, called the upgrades “a complete transformation” that will eliminate the use of 30,000 litres of heating oil a year, reducing the building’s carbon footprint by 85 tonnes of greenhouse gases, and save more than $40,000 in heating and electricity costs.
“Traditional Indigenous values have always emphasized respecting the environment and thinking generations ahead,” Beaulieu said.
“This project shows how these values align perfectly with modern clean energy technology and strong federal partnerships. This is reconciliation in action, working together to build a cleaner, more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.”
Yellowknife Mayor Ben Hendriksen said he is glad to see the federal government investing in Yellowknife housing to make it more energy-efficient.
“Here in Yellowknife, we see the real and growing impacts of climate change,” he said.
“Whether it’s the increasing frequency of wildfires, changes to permafrost, low water levels on our lakes and rivers, or the pressure on our infrastructure and way of life – to name just a few – these challenges are not abstract. They are personal to every Yellowknifer and northerner, and they need real and sustained action from the private sector and every government.”
Funding for the projects comes from the Indigenous leadership stream of the federal government’s Low Carbon Economy Fund, which supports Indigenous-owned and led projects involved renewable energy, energy efficiency and low-carbon heating.
