Latest news with #Atikamekw
Cision Canada
5 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
CIB commits $24M to renewable energy project in remote First Nation community in Northern Quebec Français
Biomass cogeneration facility to replace diesel energy source and create jobs Disponible en français 4.8-megawatt biomass plant will ensure long-term energy security and foster economic development for the Atikamekw of Opitciwan community Facility will cut use of 4.6 million litres of diesel annually and prevent frequent power outages Will support 40 jobs during construction and 15 direct and indirect full-time jobs during operations OPITCIWAN, QC, July 24, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has closed a $24-million loan to support the Atikamekw of Opitciwan, a remote First Nation community in Northern Quebec, in its energy transition aimed at significantly reducing diesel as its primary energy source. Onimiskiw Opitciwan Limited Partnership will construct and operate the 4.8-megawatt Centrale de cogénération d'Opitciwan. The facility will generate electricity by burning bark, sawdust and woodchips produced by an adjacent sawmill. Additionally, steam from the new energy plant will power a new wood kiln at the sawmill. The project will bring significant health and environmental benefits for the community of 2,500 members by reducing nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions from the current diesel-based energy generation. The sustainable energy initiative will cut more than 11,000 tonnes of emissions and reduce the use of diesel by 4.6 million litres annually. The project, along with the CIB's investment, could serve as a model to support other Indigenous communities in Quebec and across Canada by reducing their reliance on diesel as their primary energy source, through the integration of renewable sources. The new power plant will support 40 jobs during construction and 15 direct and indirect full-time jobs during operations. The facility is designed to accommodate community growth, including the capacity to support future housing development. The Centrale de cogénération d'Opitciwan, along with a new substation and battery energy storage system built by Hydro-Quebec, will significantly improve the stability of community's independent electrical network, which currently experiences frequent power outages. Endorsements The CIB is pleased to support the Atikamekw of Opitciwan First Nation in the development of this cogeneration plant which will supply the community with a reliable, secure energy source, along with additional economic opportunities. Financing from the CIB's Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative will eliminate diesel as the community's primary energy source. Cleaner energy options are needed in many remote Indigenous communities and the CIB is proud of the work we are doing to support these projects across Canada. Ehre n Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank Investments like these—that support our communities, build energy independence, and create good-paying jobs—are driving Indigenous-led infrastructure projects across the country. The Canada Infrastructure Bank's $24 million investment in the Atikamekw of Opitciwan's biomass cogeneration facility is good news for our riding and a testament to the country we're building together with all our partners. Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, on behalf of the Hon. Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Remote Indigenous communities face unique barriers that require tailored solutions. The Atikamekw of Opitciwan project is a vital step forward, providing support not only to the Opitciwan community but also serving as a model to empower Indigenous communities across the country. I want to congratulate Chief Jean-Claude Mequish for this project and thank him for his leadership. Hon. Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services The biomass cogeneration plant is an innovative project for Opitciwan. By using local and renewable resources, we can not only produce clean energy, but also stimulate our local economy and ensure energy security for our members. This project is an example of what we can achieve when we work together for a greener, more prosperous future. Mikwetc to the CIB for their support. Chief Jean-Claude Mequish, Council of the Atikamekw First Nation The biomass cogeneration project represents a major step forward for our community. Not only will it enable us to reduce our dependence on diesel, it will also create jobs and improve our quality of life. We are grateful to the CIB for its support and commitment to the development of our energy infrastructure. , President, Onimiskiw Opitciwan Limited Partnership
New York Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Carney's ‘Build, Baby, Build' Faces Pushback From Indigenous Groups
'Build, baby, build.' Canada's spin on the mantra has been a nationalist rallying cry of Prime Minister Mark Carney: Build 'Canada strong.' Build a Canada less dependent on the United States. Build an 'energy superpower.' That means to build, and quickly, projects of national interest that could include oil pipelines, nuclear facilities, mines, power grids, ports, roads and railways — all of it to create a stronger domestic economy and increase trade with countries other than the United States. 'We are going to build,' Mr. Carney said in his speech after winning the election in April. 'Build, baby, build.' But Mr. Carney's ambitions are facing a fierce backlash — building any enormous infrastructure would most likely require doing so on the ancestral lands of Canada's Indigenous groups. And they have denounced the government's vision even before the first shovels have been pushed into the dirt. Indigenous leaders, whose opinions were ignored in past nation-building periods, say that it must be different this time. In a new era of reconciliation between Canada and its Indigenous communities, they want a say — perhaps even a veto — over what gets built. 'It's up to governments to come and see us about decisions concerning our territory,' said Dave Petiquay, a traditional leader in Wemotaci, a reserve in Quebec of the Atikamekw First Nations people. 'But they don't. They come only after making decisions and passing laws.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBC
26-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Francis Verreault-Paul elected to head the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador
Francis Verreault-Paul from the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh has been elected to head the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL). Verreault-Paul secured 21 votes in a single round of voting Tuesday in Quebec City. With 36 of the 43 community chiefs casting ballots, he received approximately 58 per cent of the vote. He needed more than half to win the election. In second place, Constant Awashish from the Atikamekw community of Opitciwan received the support of 11 chiefs, followed by Cathy Martin from Listuguj and Monik Kistabish, who each garnered the support of two chiefs. Verreault-Paul has served as Ghislain Picard's chief of staff for the past two years. Picard, a well-known figure who held the AFNQL leadership for 33 years, decided not to run for another term this year. The election campaign officially launched on Feb. 11. Typically lasting two weeks, it mostly unfolds behind the scenes as only the 43 community chiefs can vote. Four candidates were vying for the position, including Kistabish from the Algonquin reserve of Pikogan. The vote comes after relations between Picard and the Quebec government grew tense. In recent years, Picard repeatedly called out the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government for its strained relations with First Nations. In a 2022 opinion piece in La Presse, he labelled the CAQ "the government of missed opportunities." A year later, in a 2023 year-end interview, he doubled down, pointing to new political proposals from Quebec that he described as paternalistic. And last month, in an open letter announcing his departure, he wrote that hardly a week goes by without his dealings with government authorities dragging him back to the hard-fought legal battles of the 1970s to defend Indigenous rights. According to Neashish and Champoux, the law firm overseeing the election, each candidate had 15 minutes to present to the assembly, in line with AFNQL's electoral procedures.
