Ottawa invests almost $22M in Nunatsiavut clean energy initiatives
CBC
The Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations was in Labrador Friday to announce millions in funding for three projects that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels across Nunatsiavut.
Nearly $22 million is being invested into initiatives in wind, tidal and solar energy initiatives.
Rebecca Alty was originally set to make the announcement in Nain but travel plans changed due to weather. She instead appeared in Happy Valley-Goose Bay alongside Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed, Nunatsiavut Language, Culture and Tourism Minister Gerald Asivak and Labrador MP Philip Earle.
“The Inuit leadership in the Nunatsiavut region, they've been climate leaders,” Alty told CBC News.
“These projects actually come from Nunatsiavut’s climate adaptation plan.”
The first of the three initiatives is the Nain wind micro-grid project, which Alty says will add two 1.5-megawatt wind turbines to the northern Labrador community, reducing its diesel use by up to 1.6 million litres per year.
Another project will measure tidal currents near Rigolet, which may lead to future tidal energy production.
“That is about getting the data to harness the coastal waters. You know, there's incredible tidal energy potential,” said Alty.
Investments were also made to support the installation of solar panels to community centres in Nain, Rigolet, Postville and Hopedale; as well as the Makkovik arena solar project.
Alty, who is from the Northwest Territories, said the federal government will be keeping an eye on the success of these projects so it can implement similar ones in other northern communities in Canada.
“It's great to see more and more of these projects in the North being able to displace or completely eliminate diesel,” she said.
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed said Friday’s announcement is a step in the right direction.
"We continue to see progress towards equity, towards the true partnership between the government of Canada and Indigenous rights holding peoples," he said.
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