Anonymous Indigenous Community

Implementing energy retrofits and solar panels to community buildings for Indigenous energy sovereignty.

Anonymous Indigenous Community

Implementing energy retrofits and solar panels to community buildings for Indigenous energy sovereignty.

We also provided funding to an Indigenous community project that prefers to remain anonymous. We believe that this option for privacy is an important part of building relationships with Indigenous partners and working on trust-based granting processes that recognize that communities know what works best for them. We believe that this is especially important given that our project funding for this cycle came from the Canadian federal government, which is a colonial institution with a long history of systemic and ongoing harm and oppression, and whose name some Indigenous projects are not comfortable having associated with their community. We are sharing a short anonymous summary for this project in the hopes that other communities can be inspired by the solutions and there can be wider recognition of the importance of funding climate resiliency and emissions reduction projects in Indigenous communities.

The Problem

A youth member from this Indigenous community wanted to bring clean energy to her community. She brought the community together to conduct an energy audit of 4 community buildings and worked with the community to analyse the energy costs and inefficiencies.

The Solution

From there they deployed multiple energy retrofits to improve the energy efficiency of these buildings, as were determined by the audit and approved by the community. Finally she hired contractors to install a solar micro-grid system and delivered multiple education events and training sessions to engage and train youth in the community on energy efficiency and renewable energy.

50

people directly working on the project through community governance/ decision making and solar trainings

2500

community members engaged through engagement event and community education sessions

Lessons Learned

“In 2019, 59% of Ontario’s electricity on the grid came from nuclear and 24% from hydroelectricity, as well as natural gas and propane for heating and cooling. These sources are severely impacting our homelands. Most of our buildings are limited to the grid for electricity, and propane or natural gas for heating and cooling. Each source of energy has severe health and environmental implications.”

Anonymous Youth Lead

“I am taking action to provide a healthy, stable, and comfortable energy experience for my community’s gathering space, as well as enabling energy security and energy sovereignty for our people”

Anonymous Youth Lead

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