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Aq’am Community Enterprises gets solar power grant
Thirty-five First Nations throughout B.C. are receiving $9.8 million in federal and provincial funding to develop clean-energy projects, including Aq’am Community Enterprises (ACE).
ACE is receiving $162,000 to go toward project design and engineering for a 15 MWc solar-PV project.
The projects are receiving funding through the BC Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (BCICEI), a partnership between the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and New Relationship Trust (NRT).
This round of BCICEI support includes $7.5 million from PacifiCan and Indigenous Services Canada and $2.3 million from the Government of B.C through its CleanBC plan. The funding will help First Nations develop and implement clean-energy generation, energy efficiency and energy storage projects, creating employment and economic opportunities in their communities.
“First Nations are key partners as we work together to build cleaner, more resilient communities and power B.C.’s growing economy with renewable electricity,” said Josie Osborne, B.C.’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “From roof-top solar to residential heat pumps and large-scale wind generation, the projects receiving funding today will advance Indigenous clean energy and create new opportunities across the province.”
“New Relationship Trust is dedicated to bolstering First Nations’ leadership in clean energy throughout B.C. These endeavours reduce greenhouse gas emissions, propel economic growth and foster well-being in urban and rural Indigenous communities provincewide,” said Walter Schneider, chief executive officer, NRT. “The BC Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative stands out as a distinctive funding program that is guided by Indigenous leadership and fosters collaboration across various sectors, from government to industry to First Nations organizations.”
To further support First Nations clean-energy projects, the province, NRT and PacifiCan are about to start work on design of a new funding stream for BCICEI with input from First Nations. It will allow small-scale renewable-energy projects that are ineligible to submit to BC Hydro’s calls for power due to their size, to move forward and contribute to the power grid.
The new stream will be funded with $140 million that was first announced in June 2023. This design process will kick off with an engagement period to gather ideas from interested First Nations.
The BCICEI is partially funded by Pacific Economic Development Canada through the Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI), a federal program administered by Indigenous Services Canada and shared by a growing network of more than 20 federal partners.
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