b'RENEWABLE ENERGYAn aerial view of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabeks Giizis Energy Solar Storage Micro Grid site on Nov. 23.would charge up our vehicles at theto renewable and more environment-EV charging station and in Thunderally cautious methods, then we should Bay, if necessary. So we are looking atdo that. Thats what we want to do here renewables in a big way. We recognize showcase that [we should] be leaders climate change [is] really impacting[in] any way we can. Never mind waiting communities, especially communitiesuntil 2050if we can do it now, why in the North, and this is just anothershouldnt we?step forward. King adds that the recent devastation Esquega says he has been looking atto homes, farms and transportation routes some of the run-of-the-river hydroelec- in B.C. due to flooding and mudslides tric and biomass electricity generationfrom extreme rainfall is a wake-up call studies that the community has done inabout the potential impacts of changing the past. climate conditions.We want to really look at theWe have to get away from using energy frameworks in the communityfossil fuels and look at renewables, King to complement the environment and tosays. Thats a thing of the future for us, complement the futures of our children,for sure.so they have the land, the water and the resources around them to sustainBuilding Capacity in their futures, Esquega says. If we canCommunitiesshow other municipalities, other citiesThe Independent Electricity SystemHenvey Inlet First Nation Chief Wayne McQuabbie and his wife Operator (IESO) is providing $7.1Wanda attended an eagle feather ceremony on May 16, 2019 to and other remote communities that ithonour the sky as the turbines were erected higher than the trees.can be done, that we can transform ourmillion in funding for 61 Indigenous electrical systems, our energy frameworkscommunities and organizations across the province to move forward with plansOne of the biggest goals of our to transform how they meet their energyprograms is to ensure communities have a needschoosing cleaner, more reliableseat at the table, and we do that through and more affordable options. capacity-building funding programs, We want to build capacity forGutjahr says.Indigenous people in communities andGutjahr says one of the funded create opportunities to support fair andprojects was a paid energy-oriented equitable participation in the electricityemployment, skills and training program sector, says Clare Gutjahr, Supervisordelivered by the Wabaseemoong Youth of Indigenous Relations at IESO. OurGreen Living Initiative through the four Energy Support Programs provideEducation and Capacity Building funding to Indigenous communities andProgram (ECB).organizations to develop energy plans andECB provides funding to support renewable energy projects, build energyawareness, education, skills and capacity-knowledge and awareness, and helpbuilding initiatives to help Indigenous participants enhance skills and job readi- communities and organizations fully ness within the communities. leverage energy opportunities, and Gutjahr says the IESO builds localto help the community contribute to capacity and helps Indigenous commun- cleaner, more reliable and affordable ities and organizations manage theirenergy systems, Gutjahr says. [The energy costs and support opportunitiesWabeesomoong project] was completely for their participation in the energy sector. innovativeits incredible.38l I ssue2 2021/22C hIefs ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazIne'