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

• Canada recognizes the significance of clean energy infrastructure projects to the social and economic development of Canada’s North.

• The government is working with Indigenous and northern communities to advance Indigenous Climate Leadership, support climate change adaptation, and help Northern communities shift to cleaner sources of energy.

• The Emissions Reduction Plan and Budget 2022 reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting Indigenous self-determination on climate action, by providing $29.6 million to advance the co-development of an Indigenous Climate Leadership Agenda.

• Since 2016, CIRNAC has supported 794 adaptation projects totaling $172 million, including 40 wildfire and emergency preparedness projects.

N/A

If pressed on Atlin Hydro Expansion Project

• Advancing the clean energy transition in partnership with Indigenous Peoples is central to the Government of Canada’s approach to tackling climate change and growing a green economy. This includes continuing to invest in Indigenous-led and delivered solutions to climate change and the transition to clean energy.

• CIRNAC is following the Atlin Hydroelectric Expansion project closely and are working with Tlingit Homeland Energy Limited, the Government of Yukon and other partners including the Canada Infrastructure Bank to determine next steps.

If pressed on Indigenous Climate Leadership

• The Government has committed to co-developing an Indigenous Climate Leadership Agenda that ensures First Nations, Inuit, and Métis have the resources and authorities necessary to take self-determined action on climate change.

• The Government has established partnerships with over 30 Indigenous governments and regional organizations across the country to support an innovative and inclusive distinctions-based, Indigenous-led engagement and co-development process.

• The Agenda builds on work outlined in Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan, Emissions Reduction Plan, and National Adaptation Strategy, will demonstrate early progress on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan and the Inuit Nunangat Policy, and will create the mechanisms for Indigenous Knowledge and ways of knowing to be fully integrated in national climate policy.