Indigenous communities in northern B.C. are heading clean-energy projects with B.C. government funding, which will lower utility costs and contribute to more economic opportunities and stable telecommunications in emergencies.
Indigenous communities are partnering with the Province to develop projects that align with the CleanBC plan to reduce climate-changing emissions. Through the First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund (FNCEBF), the Province is providing two communities in the region with more than $200,000.
The FNCEBF supports clean-energy projects led by Indigenous communities, such as harnessing solar energy, installing heat pumps and energy-efficiency planning. In this round of funding, nine First Nation partners provincewide received more than $1.4 million through the fund, which includes nearly $1 million of one-time funding for projects.
New projects from this round of funding in northern B.C.:
- Binche Whut'en First Nation will install a solar and energy-storage system at the Come-Unity Centre to generate revenue for the Nation and give people continued access to services during power outages ($177,000); and
- Doig River First Nation will develop a community energy plan to support innovative solutions, improve efficiency and reduce costs in local homes and buildings ($30,000).
Indigenous communities can benefit from economic opportunities in their territories by participating in the clean-energy sector and the FNCEBF program.
Quick Facts:
- Since the FNCEBF began, more than 150 Indigenous communities have benefited from more than $20 million in capacity and equity funding for projects focused on clean energy, energy efficiency, fuel switching and feasibility studies.
- Currently, 46 First Nations benefit from 71 clean-energy revenue-sharing agreements with B.C. that are based on new incremental revenues to government derived from water rentals and land rents.
Learn More:
First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/consulting-with-first-nations/first-nations-clean-energy-business-fund
Clean Energy BC: www.cleanenergybc.org/
Backgrounder: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2020-2024/2023IRR0020-000590.htm
