Question Period Note: Climate Change Adaptation and Clean Energy in Northern and Indigenous Communities

• Our government is working with Indigenous and Northern communities to support adaptation to the impacts of climate change and to reduce reliance on diesel in the North by shifting to renewable sources of energy.
• Budget 2022 supports Indigenous leadership on climate action by providing $29.6 million to advance the co-development of an Indigenous Climate Leadership agenda.
• Budget 2021 invested $40.4 million to support feasibility and planning of hydroelectricity and grid interconnection projects in the North like the Kivalliq Hydro-fibre Link and $300 million to transition Indigenous and remote communities from diesel.
• Budget 2022 provided $32.2 million to the Atlin Hydro Expansion project which will provide clean electricity to the Yukon to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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If pressed on Streamlining Indigenous and remote community access to clean energy
• Our Government is committed to supporting northern and remote Indigenous communities transition from diesel onto clean, renewable and reliable energy.
• CIRNAC has worked closely with Natural Resources Canada, Indigenous Services Canada as well as Infrastructure Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to develop the Indigenous and Remote Communities Clean Energy Hub.
• The Hub will better support communities in accessing federal funding and expertise to support their clean energy priorities.

If pressed on Clean Energy Hub
• The Hub will deliver $300 million identified in Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, to advance the Government’s commitment to ensure that rural, remote and Indigenous communities that currently rely on diesel have the opportunity to be powered by clean, reliable energy by 2030.
• Additionally, CIRNAC will deliver $40.4 million over three years through the Hub to support feasibility and planning of hydroelectricity and grid interconnection projects in the North.

If pressed on Hydroelectricity and Atlin HydroExpansion
• Hydroelectricity is a proven technology that offers significant advantages in getting northern communities entirely off of diesel.
• CIRNAC is working with territorial governments and Indigenous organizations to support hydroelectric and grid interconnection projects like Iqaluit Hydro Project and the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link.
• The Atlin Hydro Expansion project, led by the Taku River Tlingit First Nation will provide will provide clean power to Yukon reducing diesel use by 10 million litres and avoiding 30,000 tonnes of GHG emissions per year.
• The project will create high quality jobs for the region and provide a source of revenue for the Taku River Tlingit First Nation First Nation with profits being reinvested in community programming.

If pressed on Indigenous Climate Leadership
• CIRNAC is working with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Indigenous partners to co-develop an Indigenous Climate Leadership agenda and support Indigenous Peoples to take action on their self-determined climate priorities.