Native groups want a piece of energy pie

subscribe

As Ontario seeks new sources of electricity, Premier Dalton McGuinty is looking favourably on a push from the Assembly of First Nations for the province to assist native businesses hoping to get a piece of the action.

"We're looking for new opportunities to strengthen our First Nations so they can enjoy greater economic prospects, so I like the sound of that," McGuinty said after AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine met energy industry executives.

With many of the potential hydroelectric and wind-power projects possibly slated for native land throughout Ontario, Fontaine made the case to the Ontario Energy Association for greater aboriginal participation.

"New ways of thinking are what we need, especially when it comes to new ways of doing business and new partnerships between local First Nations communities and the energy sector," he said.

In Saskatchewan, for example, 10 First Nations have built and operate wind power farms, while Hydro-Québec has promised to boost access to contracts for James Bay Cree enterprises looking to help operate, maintain and repair a massive hydroelectric project.

"For far too long many First Nation communities have not had access to jobs because they were too far away from urban centres. But with... the energy sector, many of the communities are right there."

Related News

hvdc

Project examines potential for Europe's power grid to increase HVDC Technology

PARIS - A partnership of 14 leading European energy industry companies, research organizations and universities has launched a new project to identify opportunities to increase integration of HVDC technology into the European transmission system.

The HVDC-WISE project, in which the University of Strathclyde is the UK’s only academic partner, is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme.

The project’s goal is to develop a toolkit for grid developers to evaluate the grid’s performance under extreme conditions and to plan systems to realise the full range of potential benefits from deep integration of HVDC technology into the European transmission system.

READ MORE
national grid

UK Emergency energy plan not going ahead

READ MORE

electric vehicle

Why subsidies for electric cars are a bad idea for Canada

READ MORE

andrea horwath

An NDP government would make hydro public again, end off-peak pricing, Horwath says in Sudbury

READ MORE

US nuclear innovation act

US nuclear innovation act becomes law

READ MORE