Canadian Biomass Magazine has named the NWT’s Arctic Energy Alliance as its company of the year award winner for 2026.
Executive director Mark Heyck said the organization is “very honoured” to have won the award.
“It feels great knowing that people see the value in what we do,” he stated in a news release.
“We’re passionate about wood heating and we’re fortunate to live in a place where it’s part of the norm. People have been heating with wood here for thousands of years, and while some wood-heating technology has changed, we can help people keep up with that.”
The Arctic Energy Alliance is a non-profit society focused on reducing the costs and environmental impacts of energy systems and practices in the NWT.
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It delivers energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy programs across the territory. That includes providing rebates, conducting home energy evaluations and helping with the installation and operation of biomass heating systems.
The Arctic Energy Alliance also partnered with the Wood Pellet Association of Canada to deliver the Arctic Bioenergy Summit and Tour in Yellowknife in January.
The association said it was nominated for the Canadian Biomass Award by Fink Machine. The BC-based company supplies and installs biomass boilers and worked with the Arctic Energy Alliance to deliver biomass boiler operator training.
David Dubois, manager of business development for Fink Machine, said the company “has seen the invaluable work” the Arctic Energy Alliance has done to support biomass heating in the North.
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“The training, conferences and funding have been critical to support the adoption of biomass boilers in the NWT,” he was quoted as saying.
The annual Canadian Biomass Awards celebrate “outstanding individuals, companies and communities working passionately to advance the country’s bioeconomy.”
Last year, Housing NWT won the community project of the year award for the district heating wood pellet boiler system installed by J&R Mechanical at the Sissons Court housing complex in Yellowknife.
J&R Mechanical separately won the commercial category of HPAC Magazine’s 2025 Sweet Heat awards for its work to connect the Yellowknife Aquatic Centre to a district biomass boiler heating system.
The Village of Fort Simpson won the Canadian Biomass Magazine’s community project of the year award in 2024 for its biomass district heating system.
