b'TRAILBLAZERSBLAZING THE TRAILIndigenous relations key to building a brighter futureBY JENNIFER ASHAWASEGAI-PEREIRAI ndigenous economic partner- partnership has been formed in17 remote First Nation communities ships are blazing trails towardsthe private sector between Dillonconnected to the grid in 2024. reconciliation and self determi- Consulting Limited and SOAR nation. Indigenous Peoples areProfessionalServices.Both of these projects and part-driving projects and businessnerships have several things in ideas forward, exemplified by aThe first partnership, between Nigigcommon: thorough community number of large development proj- Power and Pattern Canada, hasconsultation, the arduous task of ects and private sector partnershipsdeveloped a 300 MW wind farmnavigating complex energy regimes across the country.on HIFN land along with a 104-kmin Ontario and the hunt for the transmission line to hook into therightpartner.In Ontario, two very noteworthygrid in Parry Sound. This project and successful partnerships arewent online in October 2019.Direction on partnerships came from underway: one between Nigigcommunity. Both First Nation-owned Power Corporationa subsidiaryMeanwhile, Wataynikaneyap andpower companies knew exactly what of Henvey Inlet First Nation (HIFN)FortisOntario are working onthey wanted and didnt settle forand Pattern Canada, and anotherthe construction of 1,800 km ofless, despite hearing differently from between Wataynikaneyap Powertransmission line in northwesterndevelopers around the country. Nigigjointly owned by 24 First Nations Ontario. At time of writing, thePower aimed for a 50/50 partner-and FortisOntario Inc. Additionally,project is about 83-per-centship, while Wataynikaneyap focused over on the east coast, a uniquecomplete and is expected to haveonownership. 12 FORWARD MAGAZINE | VOLUME 1 2022'