Building clean energy capacity in rural and remote communities is crucial to reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Government of Canada is committed to working together in collaboration with the Indigenous partners and the electricity sector in Ontario to tackle climate change, transition to clean energy and create greater economic opportunity in the province.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, congratulated the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) on its First Nations Energy Symposium that took place on November 8-9, 2022, and announced an investment of nearly $260,000 to build community capacity through Indigenous energy champions.
IESO's Indigenous energy supporting programming includes technical, hands-on training for Community Energy Champions (CECs) who have been hired by Indigenous communities and organizations across Ontario to advance clean energy projects within their community. Natural Resources Canada funding will build on the IESO's current CEC program to help plan and advance community-driven energy-related priorities.
The CEC training will integrate initiatives and objectives proposed by the communities and organizations and provide the CECs with foundational knowledge to implement clean energy solutions. The multi-module curriculum will also include demonstrations of home energy audits, establishing an energy baseline, building retrofits, energy generation opportunities, community engagement strategies and developing or updating community energy plans.
This investment demonstrates the Government of Canada's commitment to supporting Indigenous leadership and remote communities in Ontario as they develop innovative clean energy solutions to displace fossil fuels, advance self-determination and combat climate change.
