BUSINESS
COVER
Metis
Artist An Old Soul
BIOGRAPHY
Gino
Odjick Looks To Golf As A New Career
BOOKS
Native
Teen Coming-of-Age Tale
Historical
Pictorial Shows Effects of Commerce on Nation
BUSINESS
Business
and First Nations Team up for Green Energy
Nisga'a
Nation Manages Salmon With Tradition and Technology
Joint
Ventures Key to Haisla Plan for the Future
Westbank
Building Self-Government and Strong Relations
CRIME
Cree Family Accuses Judge of Racism
EDUCATION
UWO
Native Studies Centre hosts Ward Churchill
HUMOUR
Bee
in the Bonnet: Aren't You Special
POLITICS
Robert
Nault Will Not Seek Re-Election
Business
and First Nations Team up for Green Energy
Story
provided with permission by Indian Northen Affairs Canada
In recent years, companies have come to understand the importance of consulting
with local First Nations on projects using land and resources. Now, as
part of a growing trend, they're going one step further and including
First Nations as partners in development. Case in point: Vancouver-based
Cloudworks Energy.
Chief Darryl Peters (second from left) and members of the Douglas First
Nation meet with associates of Cloudworks Energy.
Cloudworks has partnered with the Douglas First Nation and Mount Currie
Band in the Pemberton region to develop environmentally-friendly, independent
power projects, with funding assistance from the governments of B.C. and
Canada.
Chief Darryl Peters of the Douglas Nation says the partnership will make
a real difference for his people. "Our community needs clean, reliable
electricity for current and future growth and development," he says.
For years, his community has depended on generators, powered by diesel
fuel trucked in from Pemberton. Now they're developing three small-hydro
projects near the north end of Harrison Lake, that will easily generate
enough power to meet the community's needs with a surplus available for
sale.
Cloudworks management is also behind the Rutherford Creek project, in
the Lil'wat Traditional Territory, 10 km south of Pemberton. The powerhouse
is now half-constructed and when finished, is expected to generate between
40 to 45 megawatts of power. The power is destined for sale to BC Hydro
under their Green Power Acquisition Program and should fuel between 10-15,000
homes.
They are currently developing a similar-sized project on Ure Creek, which
is within the traditional territory of the Lil'wat First Nation and flows
into Lillooet Lake.
Green power projects create jobs and revenue - along with real value for
the province overall as Hydro seeks additional sources of clean, renewable,
affordable energy.
"These projects are 'run-of-the-river,'" says Cloudworks director
Nick Andrews. "That means no flooding of valleys. Water is piped
into a powerhouse and returned to the river with minimal impact on the
stream itself and on the neighbouring environment."
The new facilities will be linked to the Hydro grid, increasing the utility's
capacity to meet BC Hydro's growing energy needs.