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Ground breaking district heating project underway
It has been three years since the St. Mary’s Band (ʔaq’am) first discussed their goal of having the Kootenays’ first biomass heating system. Last week, the Band broke ground on their District Heating Project.
The District Heating Project is the first step in clean energy for ʔaq’am. The system, which utilizes biomass waste and is carbon neutral, is the first of its kind in the Kootenays. The system will provide heat to the Community’s new school. Future buildings constructed in the area will also be connected into the system.
ʔaq’am Director of Community & Economic Development Becky Pelkonen attributes the ground breaking to good leadership, its funders and new partnership with MDG Contracting Services. The project was funded by the First Nations Clean Energy Fund, Columbia Basin Trust, the Federal Government, and the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition.
“ʔaq’am was challenged with finding a contractor that could meet our budget, and understand the complexities of the project. We commend Ron Mason with MDG Contracting Services for stepping forward to deal with the challenges head on and to deliver us a great product within a complex situation. We are also excited to have developed a partnership and fibre agreement with Paper Excellence, who will provide access to fuel for the system. We are thankful to everyone who was involved in the project,” Pelkonen said.
Beyond the company’s assurance of their ability to provide expertise on time and on budget, preference to MDG Contracting Services also stems from the fact that the company is in a limited partnership with ʔaq’am Community Enterprises, the Band’s development corporation.
“From the first time I spoke to the St. Mary’s Band about developing a partnership, it was a no brainer. It’s exciting to be a part of such a forward thinking initiative, as the District Heating Project. The Band has a lot of plans for future growth, and MDG shares their vision. I am excited to put the MDG brand on the District Heating Project, we are looking forward to another successful project,” said Mason, Owner of MDG Contracting Services.
It is the hope of ʔaq’am that the District Heating Project is just the beginning of clean energy initiatives for the Band.
“It’s an exciting step for both ʔaq’am, and the greater community. As stewards of the land, clean energy initiatives are very important to our community. We are thankful for the many project partners who supported this project. We are proud to be at the forefront of clean energy in the Kootenays. We will be investing more of our time and money into clean energy initiatives,” said ʔaq’am Chief Jim Whitehead.
The project is slated for completion by mid-November.
To learn more about the St. Mary’s Band’s district heating project, contact Becky Pelkonen, Director of Community & Economic Development at (250) 426-5717 ext. 3543, or by email at [email protected].
ʔaq’am
