With significant funding investments announced for clean energy in the 2023 federal budget, it is integral that respect for Indigenous values and meaningful relations between corporations, government and First Nations are at the forefront of the energy transition.
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) issued its final report. Call to Action No. 92 calls on the corporate sector to engage in reconciliation and adopt the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a framework for future operational activities involving Indigenous Peoples, their lands and resources.
Economic reconciliation is central to Canada’s efforts to reach carbon net zero — and in the energy sector, it makes good business sense. Our community, Henvey Inlet First Nation (HIFN), which is near Georgian Bay, has been transformed by the Henvey Inlet Wind Project (HIW), a joint initiative between our subsidiary, Nigig Power Corporation, and Pattern Energy.
We developed a partnership model that worked for our people and hope it serves as a transferable framework for fellow First Nations, business and government leaders as they explore economic development opportunities.
Author: Toronto Star