Indigenous and remote communities across Canada are taking action to invest in renewable energy projects, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and advance energy sovereignty.
Today, Brendan Hanley, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced nearly $17 million in federal funding to support the 7.5-megawatt (MW) Innavik Remote Hydro Project, located in Inukjuak, and to explore the development of a 17-MW hydroelectric power plant at the site of the Matawin dam near St-Michel-des Saints, both in Quebec.
The Innavik Remote Hydro Project is a run-of-river hydropower facility that replaces reliance on diesel fuel for almost all Inukjuak's energy needs. The Inuit-owned project is the largest off-grid hydropower facility in Canada and is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the 1,800 inhabitants of the community.
The 17-MW, Indigenous-led Matawak Hydroelectric Power Plant project being explored at the Matawin dam site at the outlet of the Lac Taureau reservoir would help the community meet existing energy needs and contribute to the growing demand for clean, renewable energy while generating independent revenue for the Atikamekw Nation of Manawan and the Innu Nation of Lac-Saint-Jean.
Both projects support the Government of Canada's commitment to lowering Canadians' energy bills, creating more reliable and clean power, and fostering inclusive, respectful partnerships with Indigenous Peoples in the transition to a clean energy economy.
