The Federal government has formalized its support for the Northern Ontario Grid Connection Project.
Canada is spending $1.6-billion to connect 17 diesel-dependent First Nations communities to Ontario’s power grid.
The project is being jointly funded by the Federal and Ontario governments.
Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O’Regan agrees the Indigenous led Wataynikaneyap Power company serves as a template for other future projects.
The partnership consists of 24 First Nations who are majority owners, private investors and Fortis Inc.
O’Regan says “It’s the model and it’s the way that all parties, Fortis, the way they have developed this model, that allows Indigenous communities to be in charge and to lead it, has been really important. I think it’s momentous.”
O’Regan says the aim is connect First Nations communities to the provincial electricity grid by 2023.
Power project Chief Executive Officer Margaret Kenequanash stresses it’s important to have the paperwork complete on the project.
“It’s very essential to the financing model that we have negotiated over the last little bit in order to finance the project.”
The development of the clean energy line will reinforce the existing transmission grid to Pickle Lake and will expand service north of Pickle Lake and Red Lake.
It’s expected to create 769 jobs during construction and close to $900-million in socio-economic value.
In December, Pikangikum was the first to connect to the grid and switch to cleaner, more reliable energy, thanks to the exciting leadership of the Watay Power Project.
Once complete, the project will reduce the number of diesel dependent First Nations from 25 to just nine. pic.twitter.com/WYuyfmPuYw
— Seamus O'Regan (@SeamusORegan) July 22, 2019
