Federal incentives needed to encourage aboriginal involvement in green energy: experts – Hill Times
06/15/2015
Ontario and Manitoba have developed successful partnership models.
Those who work in aboriginal communities on green energy projects say the real key to supporting the industry is to create incentives for companies to work with First Nations and for government to remove any rules that restrict innovations in green energy on their land.
“The single biggest obstacle we have is the federal government in doing work on First Nations. And it’s very difficult to get them to change their rules,” said Shaun Loney, director of development at Aki Energy, a Manitoba non-profit social enterprise connecting First Nations with green energy.
“Reconciliation is all about action,” said Chris Henderson, the author of Aboriginal Power, a book about First Nations’ clean energy.
He is also president of Lumos Energy, a clean energy advisory company. He said working with First Nations on building clean energy projects is a way to build the relationship between Aboriginal Peoples and other Canadians.
